Polarization-sensitive characterization of the propagating plasmonic modes in silver nanowire waveguide on a glass substrate with a scanning near-field optical microscope

In this paper, we report on the experimental investigation of the polarization properties of the plasmonic modes along a silver nanowire waveguide on a glass substrate. Two orthogonal polarization light components at the distal end of the nanowire are observed in the far-field. The near-field mapping with a scanning near-field optical microscopic probe exhibiting an in-plane polarization sensitivity reveals the two polarization components of the propagating plasmonic modes along the nanowire. (C) 2013 Optical Society of America