Optimal plasmonic focusing on a metal disc under radially polarized terahertz illumination

Abstract

Optimal focusing of surface plasmon polaritons in the center of a metal disc illuminated by radially polarized terahertz pulses is demonstrated. By matching the cylindrical symmetry of the metal structure with the radially polarized terahertz field, surface plasmons are excited along its entire circumference. Constructive interference in the disc center produces a sharp frequency-dependent focal spot well described by a zero-order Bessel function. We map the field distributions on the disc by terahertz (THz) near-field microscopy and compare our results with numerical simulations. For comparison, the behavior of the plasmonic lens under linearly polarized THz illumination is also characterized. The remarkable focusing capabilities of such a plasmonic lens together with its simple structure offer considerable potential for THz sensing and imaging applications.