  Transmission spectra of metallic films or membranes perforated by arrays of
subwavelength slits or holes have been widely interpreted as resonance
absorption by surface plasmon polaritons (SPPs). Alternative interpretations
involving evanescent waves diffracted on the surface have also been proposed.
These two approaches lead to divergent predictions for some surface wave
properties. Using far-field interferometry, we have carried out a series of
measurements on elementary one-dimensional (1-D) subwavelength structures with
the aim of testing key properties of the surface waves and comparing them to
predictions of these two points of view.
