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We review recent progress in the development of fluorescent semiconducting polymers that can provide high optical gain at visible wavelengths. In order to amplify propagating surface plasmon polaritons in this wavelength range, plasmonic waveguides with sufficiently low propagation loss must be constructed. To this end, we have studied the formation of ultra-thin gold films on transparent polymer substrates, using high-resolution x-ray reflection and x-ray diffraction measurements as well as plasmon propagation loss measurements.

plasmonics; nanophotonics; optical polymers