Optical Second-Harmonic Generation with Surface Plasmons in Silver Films

H. J. Simon; D. E. Mitchell; J. G. Watson

doi:10.1103/PhysRevLett.33.1531

Optical Second-Harmonic Generation with Surface Plasmons in Silver Films

H. J. Simon, D. E. Mitchell, and J. G. Watson

Phys. Rev. Lett. 33, 1531 – Published 23 December 1974

Abstract

We report the first experimental and theoretical investigation of the coupling of second-harmonic generation of light to surface plasmons in thin silver films. A model of second-harmonic generation due to polarization sources at the silver-air interface correctly predicts the observed harmonic enhancement of one and a half orders of magnitude because of excitation of the surface plasmon.