Patent ID: 7106935

Claim:
Apparatus for focusing plasmon waves comprising: a thin film metallic layer; a first dielectric layer arranged on a first side of said thin film metallic layer and having a first index of refraction; a second dielectric layer arranged on the opposite side of said thin film metallic layer from said first dielectric layer and having a second index of refraction that is higher than the first index of refraction, wherein the thin film metallic layer, the first dielectric layer and the second dielectric layer are arranged to focus to a spot plasmon waves induced at an interface between the thin film metallic layer and the first dielectric layer in response to light incident on the second dielectric layer; and a third dielectric layer arranged on the same side of the thin film metallic layer as the first dielectric layer, the third dielectric layer having a third index of refraction greater than said first index of refraction on the first dielectric layer, and the third dielectric layer having a curved surface that is arranged to focus the plasmon waves on said spot.