Multiple trains of same-color surface plasmon-polaritons guided by the planar interface of a metal and a sculptured nematic thin film. Part III: Experimental evidence

The absorbances of two samples of a bilayer comprising a metal film and a periodically nonhomogeneous sculptured nematic thin film (SNTF) were measured in the Kretschmann configuration, the incident plane waves being linearly polarized with their wave vectors lying wholly in the morphologically significant plane of the SNTF. Comparison of experimental data with theoretical predictions confirmed the possibility of independently launching multiple surface-plasmon-polariton waves of the same color (frequency) but different phase speeds and polarization states. Exciting prospects are in store for plasmonics-based sensing, imaging, and communication.