In this work, we demonstrate multimode surface plasmon (SP) excitations by white light irradiation on metallic diffraction grating/plastic substrates. Recordable compact discs were used as the diffraction grating substrates on which silver films were deposited by vacuum evaporation. Since the grating pitch (1.6 mu m) was larger than that of diffraction gratings commonly used for the excitation of SPs, multimode SP excitations due to several diffraction orders were observed simultaneously in the wavelength region from 400 to 800 nm. The obtained SP excitations were then compared with the calculated SP dispersion on the grating. The multimode SP excitations were further studied on spin-coated poly[2-methoxy-5-(2'-ethyl-hexyloxy)-1,4-phenylene vinylene] (MEH-PPV) thin film/silver grating substrates. An increased photoluminescence intensity due to SP excitations was observed on MEH-PPV/silver grating surfaces. (C) 2010 The Japan Society of Applied Physics