Plasmons in multilayered plane-stratified structures

Based on rigorous solutions of exact dispersion equations, we consider plasmons in multilayered plane-stratified structures in the Drude – Lorentz approximation for metal layers with dissipation. General and particular types of dispersion equations are examined, a classification of waves is presented, gliding and leaky waves are described, maximum decelerations are derived, losses and conditions for transition from forward plasmons to backward ones and from slow plasmons to fast ones are established, and the dispersion of different modes is numerically investigated. (plasmons)