Surface-plasmon-polariton waves guided by the uniformly moving planar interface of a metal film and dielectric slab

摘要

We explored the effects of relative motion on the excitation ofsurface-plasmon-polariton (SPP) waves guided by the planar interface of a metalfilm and a dielectric slab, both materials being isotropic and homogeneous.Electromagnetic phasors in moving and non-moving reference frames were relateddirectly using the corresponding Lorentz transformations. Our numerical studiesrevealed that, in the case of a uniformly moving dielectric slab, the angle ofincidence for SPP-wave excitation is highly sensitive to (i) the ratio $\beta$of the speed of motion to speed of light in free space and (ii) the directionof motion. When the direction of motion is parallel to the plane of incidence,the SPP wave is excited by $p$-polarized (but not $s$-polarized) incident planewaves for low and moderate values of $\beta$, while at higher values of $\beta$the total reflection regime breaks down. When the direction of motion isperpendicular to the plane of incidence, the SPP wave is excited by$p$-polarized incident plane waves for low values of $\beta$, but $s$-polarizedincident plane waves at moderate values of $\beta$, while at higher values of$\beta$ the SPP wave is not excited. In the case of a uniformly moving metalfilm, the sensitivity to $\beta$ and the direction of motion is less obvious.