  The canonical problem of the propagation of surface-plasmon-polariton (SPP)
waves localized to the planar interface of a metal and a sculptured nematic
thin film (SNTF) that is periodically nonhomogeneous along the direction normal
to the interface was formulated. Solution of the dispersion equation obtained
thereby confirmed the possibility of exciting multiple SPP waves of the same
frequency or color. However, these SPP waves differ in phase speed, field
structure, and the e-folding distance along the direction of propagation.
