We separate Maxwell's equations for background media that allow for both electric and magnetic time dependence in a generalized Lorenz gauge. In a process analogous to the dynamical Casimir effect (DCE) we discuss how surface plasmon polaritons (SPPs) can be created out of vacuum via the time-dependent variation of a dielectric and magnetic insulator at a metal interface for TM and TE branches, respectively. We suggest how to extend currently proposed DCE experiments to set up and detect these excitations. Numerical simulations (without any approximation) indicate that vacuum-excited SPPs can be of a similar magnitude to the photon creation rate in such experiments. Potential benefits of detecting vacuum-excited SPPs, as opposed to DCE photons, are that parametric enhancement does not require a sealed cavity in the axial direction and the detection apparatus might be able to use simple phase-matching techniques. For the case of constant permeability $\mu$, TM branch SPPs and photons do not suffer from detuning and attenuation like TE photons.

• Received 19 May 2014
• Revised 11 March 2015

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevA.91.053804