Plasmonic nanofocusing by axicon-shape Kretschmann configuration

We designed and proposed a focusing device for the localization of photons in nanometric region by surface plasmon excitation. The focusing device is a metal-coated axicon prism. The cone angle of the prism and the metallic film thickness are designed to match the excitation conditions for Kretschmann configuration. A collimated Gaussian beam is irradiated to the prism and the excited surface plasmons propagate along the sides of the prism and converge at its apex. The resulting nanofocusing was investigated by the simulations and experiments of the intensity distributions around the apex of the prism. For incident radial polarization, a localized and field enhanced spot is generated by the constructive interference of surface plasmons. We observed the light scattered at the apex and the light reflected by the prism. Each polarized light of the radial, azimuthal, and linear provided field distributions of bright and dark intensities according to the surface plasmon excitation. We have demonstrated that surface plasmon waves are excited at the sides of the prism in the Kretschmann configuration and that they converge to its apex.

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