Light propagation through unperforated metallic structure: Plasmon resonance induced transparency

The transmission properties of rectangular one-dimensional unperforated metallic periodic structures for frequencies close to the surface plasmon band are investigated experimentally and theoretically. The results reveal that it is possible to obtain unexpectedly large transmissions through thick unperforated metallic structures. The mechanisms of enhanced transmissions are attributed to resonant excitations of three kinds of plasmon radiations: coupled surface plasmon polaritons, horizontal localized groove plasmon mode, and vertical localized groove plasmons mode. Once the surface plasmon polaritons and the vertical groove plasmon modes axe excited simultaneously, the transmission approaches to maximum at the coincident condition.