Abstract
Planar chirped plasmonic nanogratings were designed, fabricated, and experimentally characterized, and "rainbow trapping" in nanoplasmonic systems is unambiguously demonstrated across the entire visible spectrum. This planar approach has significant processing advantages when compared to other approaches that require precise nanofabrication control in the vertical direction, and is compatible with large-area nanofabrication technologies. This planar chirped nanograting opens the door to develop exciting chip-scale applications based on the "rainbow" trapping effect. (C) 2011 American Institute of Physics. [doi:10.1063/1.3601744]