We present correlated experimental and theoretical studies on the magnetic field modulation of Surface Plasmon Polaritons (SPPs) in Au/Co/Au trilayers. The trilayers were grown by sputter deposition on glass slides with the Co films placed at different distances from the surface and with different thickness. We show that it is possible to tailor Au/Co/Au trilayers with the critical thickness needed for optimum excitation of SPPs leading to large localized electromagnetic fields. The modification of the SPP wave vector by externally applied magnetic fields was investigated by measuring the magneto-optical activity in transverse configuration. In addition, using magneto-optics as a tool we determined the spatial distribution of the SPP generated electromagnetic fields within Au/Co/Au samples by analyzing the field-dependent optical response, demonstrating that it is possible to excite SPPs that exhibit large electromagnetic fields that are also magneto-optically active and therefore can be modulated by externally applied magnetic fields. (C)2010 Optical Society of Americ
