Isotropic broadband absorption by a macroscopic self-organized plasmonic crystal

Abstract

We describe the plasmonic properties of a two-dimensional periodic metallic grating of macroscopic size obtained by gold deposition on a self-assembled silica opal. Structural characterization shows a transition from microscopic order to isotropy at macroscopic scale. Optical reflection spectra exhibit a dip of almost complete absorption due to coupling to surface-plasmon-polaritons (SPP). This is explained by theoretical calculations introducing a density of coupled SPP modes. We demonstrate, at a given incidence angle, a broad continuum of coupled wavelengths over the visible spectrum. This opens new possibilities in fields where light-plasmon coupling is required over a broad range of wavelengths and incidence orientations.