The possibility of an electron beam exciting surface plasmons in conducting metal is discussed in this paper. A planar perfect-structure with subwavelength holes is proposed. The phenomenon that mimicking surface plasmon waves can be excited and amplified by an electron beam is proved theoretically and numerically. The mechanism of transmission through a subwavelength hole array is exploited to enhance the interaction between the electron beam and the mimicking surface plasmons.

surface plasmon; electron beam

University of Electronic Science and Technology of China