Vortex lattice of surface plasmon polaritons

We theoretically investigate the formation of a plasmon polariton vortex lattice on a metal surface following the interference of surface plasmon polaritons (SPPs). The plasmon polariton vortex lattice is formed by the interference of the SPP transverse-magnetic mode (TM-mode) and electric mode (E-mode) in the presence of the inhomogeneity with a curvilinear boundary on the surface of the metal layer. The SPP vortex lattice can be controlled by changing the configuration of the boundary. Weak nonlinearity of the metal permittivity does not change the interference pattern, but it increases the propagation length of the SPPs and, therefore, the area of the vortex lattice too. (paper)