Metastable states of surface plasmon vacuum near the interface between metal and nonlinear dielectric

TL;DR

This paper explores how zero-point fluctuations of surface plasmon modes at a metal-nonlinear dielectric interface can create a thin altered dielectric layer, potentially leading to multiple metastable states of the surface plasmon vacuum.

Contribution

It introduces the concept that quantum fluctuations can induce multiple metastable states in surface plasmon vacuum near a nonlinear dielectric interface.

Findings

Zero-point fluctuations cause a thin altered dielectric layer.

Multiple metastable states of surface plasmon vacuum are possible.

Effect size may be significant enough for experimental observation.

Abstract

Zero-point fluctuations of surface plasmon modes near the interface between metal and nonlinear dielectric are shown to produce a thin layer of altered dielectric constant near the interface. This effect may be sufficiently large to produce multiple metastable states of the surface plasmon vacuum.