Leaky surface polariton

Abstract
The characteristics of a leaky surface polariton existing on the surface of a free electron metal having the profile of an ordinary diffraction grating are investigated including the effects of the finite length of the grating and the slow spatial variation of the amplitude of the surface polariton. The radiative decay characteristics of the surface polariton and the characteristics of the antiresonance in the angular response of the reflectivity of light incident on the grating are discussed, and the effect of a small dissipation in the metal on these characteristics is also included.