Electromagnetic enhancement by a periodic array of nanogrooves in a metallic substrate

We present comprehensive investigations of the electromagnetic enhancement by a periodic array of rectangular nanogrooves in a metallic substrate. The impacts of array parameters and of illumination conditions on the enhanced electric-field intensity are explored using fully vectorial methods. The calculations are performed mainly for gold and for the visible and infrared wavelengths. The fully vectorial results are reproduced and explained by a simple Fabry-Perot model. Compared with the case of a single groove, the electric-field enhancement of the groove array is found to be much higher by almost 1 order of magnitude, which is shown to be related to the excitation of surface plasmon polaritons with the aid of the model. Practical considerations of a finite groove number and of a finite groove length are also provided. (C) 2011 Optical Society of America