Spoof-plasmon relevant one-way collimation and multiplexing at beaming from a slit in metallic grating

Diode and collimator/multiplexer functions are suggested to be combined in one device that is based on a thin metallic grating with a single subwavelength slit. A proper choice of the structural (a)symmetry of the grating can result in obtaining one-way collimation and multiplexing with a single on-axis or off-axis, or two off-axis narrow outgoing beams. It is possible due to freedom in utilizing different combinations of the excitation conditions of the spoof surface plasmons at the four grating parts - right and left front-side and right and left back-side ones. Such a combining provides one with an efficient tool to engineer one-way collimators and multiplexers with the desired characteristics. Strong asymmetry in transmission with respect to the incidence direction (forward vs backward case) can be obtained within a wide range of variation of the incident beam parameters, i.e., angle of incidence and frequency, while the outgoing radiation is concentrated within a narrow range of the observation angle variation. Most of the observed asymmetric transmission features can be qualitatively explained using the concept of the equivalent source placed inside the slit. © 2012 Optical Society of America.