Resonant Transmission of Microwaves through a Narrow Metallic Slit

Strong resonant transmission of microwave radiation through a very narrow (much less than the radiation wavelength) metallic slit is recorded. The results show that a set of resonant self-coupled surface plasmons are excited within the small gap, giving a Fabry-Pérot-like behavior in accord with analytical results published earlier [Y. Takakura, Phys. Rev. Lett. 86, 5601 (2001)]. The metallic slit, formed by two thick metal plates spaced apart by tens of microns, is inserted in a wavelength-sized aperture. On resonance the transmissivity through the metal slit is more than 2 orders of magnitude greater than the radiation impinging on the slit area.

Figure 1

The experimental setup and sample geometry.

Figure 2

The transmission spectrum through a single metallic slit.

Figure 3

Theoretical prediction ($△$) and experimental data (•) of the wavelength shifts from the simple Fabry-Pérot resonance condition.

Figure 4

The approximation amplification factors of transmission through a single metallic slit. The line is a simple ${\lambda }^4$ fit to the data.