Radiation guiding with surface plasmon polaritons

Sensing Based on Plasmon-Induced Transparency in H-Shaped Graphene-Based Metamaterials

Graphene can support surface plasmon polaritons (SPPs) in the terahertz band, and graphene SPP sensors are widely used in the field of terahertz micro- and nano-optical devices. In this paper, we propose an H-shaped graphene metasurface and investigate the plasmon-induced transparency (PIT) phenomenon in the proposed structure using the finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) method. Our results show that the Fermi energy levels, as well as certain shape parameters, can effectively modulate the PIT phenomenon in the proposed structure. Interestingly, changing some of these shape parameters can excite two dips into three. In terms of sensing performance, the maximum values of sensitivity and figure of merit (FOM) are 1.4028 THz/RIU and 17.97, respectively. These results offer valuable guidance for the use of terahertz optical graphene SPP sensors.

In-Plane Radiation of Surface Plasmon Polaritons Excited by Free Electrons

Surface plasmon polaritons (SPPs) have become a research hotspot due to their high intensity and subwavelength localization. Through free-electron excitation, a portion of the momentum of moving electrons can be converted into SPPs. Converting highly localized SPPs into a radiated field is an approach with the potential to aid in the development of a light radiation source. Reducing losses of SPPs is currently a critical challenge that needs to be addressed. The lifetime of SPPs in metal films is longer than that in metal blocks. Traditional optical gratings can transform SPPs into radiation to avoid the decay of SPPs in metal; however, they are created by etching metal films, so they tend to alter the dispersion characteristics of these films and will emit radiation in the direction perpendicular to the metal surface. This paper proposes an approach to converting the SPPs of a metal film excited by free electrons into a radiation field via lateral grating and obtaining in-plane radiation. We investigate the properties of SPP lateral radiation. The study of lateral radiation from metal films holds significant importance for SPP radiation sources and SPP on-chip circuit development.

High Transmission All-Optical Combinational Logic Circuits Based on a Nanoring Multi-Structure at 1.31 µm

The main purpose of this study is to design combinational logic gates based on a novel configuration of insulator-metal-insulator (IMI) nanoring plasmonic waveguides. Plasmonic logic gates are half adder, full adder, half subtractor, full subtractor, and one-bit comparator and are realized in one structure. The performance of the logic circuits is based on constructive and destructive interferences between the input and control signals. The transmission threshold value is assumed to be 0.35 at the resonance wavelength of 1.310 μm. The transmission spectrum, contrast loss (CL), insertion loss (IL), modulation depth (MD), and contrast ratio (CR) are calculated in order to evaluate the structure's performance. The maximum transmission of the proposed structure is 232% for full a adder logic gate, and MD exceeds 90% in all plasmonic combinational logic circuits. The suggested design plays a key role in the photonic circuits and nanocircuits for all-optical systems and optical communication systems. The combinational logic gates are analyzed and simulated using the finite element method (FEM).

Ultra-Compact Low-Pass Spoof Surface Plasmon Polariton Filter Based on Interdigital Structure

An ultra-compact low-pass spoof surface plasmon polariton (SSPP) filter based on an interdigital structure (IS) is designed. Simulated dispersion curves show that adding the interdigital structure in an SSPP unit effectively reduces its asymptotic frequency compared with traditional and T-shaped SSPP geometries, and the unit dimensions can be conversely reduced. Based on that, three IS-based SSPP units are, respectively, designed with different maximum intrinsic frequencies and similar asymptotic frequencies to constitute the matching and waveguide sections of the proposed filter, and the unit number in the waveguide section is adjusted to improve the out-of-band suppression. Simulation results illustrate the efficient transmission in the 0~5.66 GHz passband, excellent out-of-band suppression (over 24 dB) in the 5.95~12 GHz stopband and ultra-shape roll-off at 5.74 GHz of the proposed filter. Measurement results on a fabricated prototype validate the design, with a measured cut-off frequency of 5.53 GHz and an ultra-compact geometry of 0.5 × 0.16 λ02.

Focusing light with a metal film coated patchy particle

Microsphere-assisted super-resolution imaging is a promising technique that can significantly enhance the resolution of conventional optical microscopes. The focus of a classical microsphere is called photonic nanojet, which is a symmetric high-intensity electromagnetic field. Recently, patchy microspheres have been reported to have superior imaging performance than pristine microspheres, and coating microspheres with metal films leads to the formation of photonic hooks, which can enhance the imaging contrast of microspheres. Understanding the influence of metal patches on the near-field focusing of patchy particles is important for the rational design of a nanostructured microlens. In this work, we theoretically and experimentally showed that the light waves can be focused and engineered using patchy particles. When coating dielectric particles with Ag films, light beams with a hook-like structure or S-shaped structure can be generated. Simulation results show that the waveguide ability of metal films and the geometric asymmetry of patchy particles cause the formation of S-shaped light beams. Compared with classical photonic hooks, S-shaped photonic hooks have a longer effective length and a smaller beam waist at far-field region. Experiments were also carried out to demonstrate the generation of classical and S-shaped photonic hooks from patchy microspheres.

Integrated refractive index sensor based on an AlN-PSiO2 hybrid plasmonic microdisk resonator

In this paper, a microdisk resonator (MDR) based on an AlN-PSiO₂ hybrid plasmonic waveguide (HPW) and its refractive index (RI) sensing characteristics are investigated. The plasmonic characteristics of the MDR based on the AlN-PSiO₂ HPW (APHPW-MDR) in near-infrared wavelengths are studied by using the finite element method. Through the structure parameter optimizations, the propagation length (L_prop) of the APHPW-MDR is ∼165µm, which is ∼2.5 times as long as that of the MDR based on the AlN HPW (AHPW-MDR). The simulation results show that the quality factor (Q) and extinction rate (ER) of the APHPW-MDR are ∼621.3 and ∼30dB, respectively. The RI sensing sensitivity (S) of the RI sensor based on the APHPW-MDR is ∼276.6nm/RIU. The RI sensor based on the APHPW-MDR has wide application prospects in high-performance biochemical sensing, and it can also be used in integrated optical filters, modulators, switches, routers, and delay circuits.

Analysis of hybrid plasmon-phonon-polariton modes in hBN/graphene/hBN stacks for mid-infrared waveguiding

Guiding mid-infrared (mid-IR) signals provide wide-ranging applications including chemical sensing, thermal imaging, and optical waveguiding. To manipulate mid-IR signals on photonic chips, it is critical to build a waveguide that provides both sub-diffraction field confinement and low loss. We present a mid-IR waveguide made up of a multilayer graphene/hexagonal boron nitride (hBN) stacking (MLGhS) and a high-refractive index nanowire. The guided mode of the proposed waveguide structure is formed by coupling the fundamental volume plasmon polariton with the fundamental hyperbolic phonon polariton in hBN, and is then modulated by a high-index nanowire. Interestingly, we found that the effective index, propagation length, and mode area of the guided mode vary as the dependences of N^-1, N, and N^3/2, where N is the number of graphene layers. In addition, an anomalous result, which reveals Lp and Am monotonously decrease as Fermi energy increases that is not observed in conventional graphene plasmon waveguides, occurs in the present structure. The modal properties are analyzed by altering geometry effects and material parameters, and by crossing the upper Reststrahlen band of hBN from the wavevector k = 1,300 to 1,500 cm^-1. Furthermore, crosstalk between adjacent waveguides are investigated to assess the degree of integration. The proposed idea not only provides a potential approach for designing tunable and large-area photonic integrated circuits, but it also has the potential to be extended to other 2D materials such as silicone, germanene, and stanene.

Ultrahigh Sensitivity of a Plasmonic Pressure Sensor with a Compact Size

This study proposes a compact plasmonic metal-insulator-metal pressure sensor comprising a bus waveguide and a resonator, including one horizontal slot and several stubs. We calculate the transmittance spectrum and the electromagnetic field distribution using the finite element method. When the resonator's top layer undergoes pressure, the resonance wavelength redshifts with increasing deformation, and their relation is nearly linear. The designed pressure sensor possesses the merits of ultrahigh sensitivity, multiple modes, and a simple structure. The maximum sensitivity and resonance wavelength shift can achieve 592.44 nm/MPa and 364 nm, respectively, which are the highest values to our knowledge. The obtained sensitivity shows 23.32 times compared to the highest one reported in the literature. The modeled design paves a promising path for applications in the nanophotonic field.

Surface plasmon coupling regulated CsPbBr3 perovskite lasers in a metal-insulator-semiconductor structure

A strong coupling effect often occurs between a metal and semiconductor, so micro/nano-lasers based on surface plasmons can break through the optical diffraction limit and realize unprecedented linear and nonlinear enhancement of optical processes. Hence, metal–insulator–semiconductor (M–I–S) structures based on perovskite materials were explored to design optoelectronic devices. Herein, we constructed an Ag/SiO₂/CsPbBr₃ hybrid structure to generate surface plasmon coupled emission between the metal and CsPbBr₃ perovskite. Combined with experimental characterization and COMSOL Multiphysics software simulations, the best enhancement for CsPbBr₃ radiative recombination efficiencies can be achieved with a 10 nm-thickness of the SiO₂ layer and 80 nm-thickness of the Ag metal film, further verified by optimizing the thickness of the SiO₂ layer above the Ag metal film. In this state, the laser threshold can be as low as 0.138 μW with a quality (Q) factor of up to 3907 under optical pumping, which demonstrate a significant step toward practical applications in biological technology, chemical identification, and optical interconnections of information transmission.

A strong coupling effect often occurs between a metal and semiconductor, so micro/nano-lasers based on surface plasmons can break through the optical diffraction limit and realize unprecedented linear and nonlinear enhancement of optical processes.

Ultra-Low-Loss Mid-Infrared Plasmonic Waveguides Based on Multilayer Graphene Metamaterials

Manipulating optical signals in the mid-infrared (mid-IR) range is a highly desired task for applications in chemical sensing, thermal imaging, and subwavelength optical waveguiding. To guide highly confined mid-IR light in photonic chips, graphene-based plasmonics capable of breaking the optical diffraction limit offer a promising solution. However, the propagation lengths of these materials are, to date, limited to approximately 10 µm at the working frequency f = 20 THz. In this study, we proposed a waveguide structure consisting of multilayer graphene metamaterials (MLGMTs). The MLGMTs support the fundamental volume plasmon polariton mode by coupling plasmon polaritons at individual graphene sheets over a silicon nano-rib structure. Benefiting from the high conductivity of the MLGMTs, the guided mode shows ultralow loss compared with that of conventional graphene-based plasmonic waveguides at comparable mode sizes. The proposed design demonstrated propagation lengths of approximately 20 µm (four times the current limitations) at an extremely tight mode area of 10⁻⁶A₀, where A₀ is the diffraction-limited mode area. The dependence of modal characteristics on geometry and material parameters are investigated in detail to identify optimal device performance. Moreover, fabrication imperfections are also addressed to evaluate the robustness of the proposed structure. Moreover, the crosstalk between two adjacent present waveguides is also investigated to demonstrate the high mode confinement to realize high-density on-chip devices. The present design offers a potential waveguiding approach for building tunable and large-area photonic integrated circuits.

Nanostructured hybrid plasmonic waveguide in a slot structure for high-performance light transmission

Squeezing light to nanoscale is the most vital capacity of nanophotonic circuits processing on-chip optical signals that allows to significantly enhance light-matter interaction by stimulating various nonlinear optical effects. It is well known that plasmon can offer an unrivaled concentration of optical energy beyond the optical diffraction limit. However, the progress of plasmonic technology is mainly hindered by its ohmic losses, thus leading to the difficulty in building large-area photonic integrated circuits. To significantly increase the propagation distance of light, we develop a new waveguide structure operating at the telecommunication wavelength of 1,550 nm. It consists of a nanostructured hybrid plasmonic waveguide embedded in a high-index-contrast slot waveguide. We capitalize on the strong mode confinement of the slot waveguide and reduce mode areas with the nanostructured hybrid plasmonic configuration while maintaining extremely low ohmic losses using a nanoscale metal strip. The proposed design achieves a record propagation distance of 1,115 µm while comparing with that of other designs at a mode area of the order of 10^-5A₀ (A₀ is the diffraction-limited area). The mode characterization considering fabrication imperfections and spectral responses show the robustness and broadband operation range of the proposed waveguide. Moreover, we also investigated the crosstalk to assess the density of integration. The proposed design paves the way for building nanophotonic circuits and optoelectronic devices that require strong light-matter interaction.

Effectiveness of high curvature segmentation on the curved flexible surface plasmon resonance

In this report, we explore a segmentation-based approach for the calculation of surface plasmon resonance (SPR) on the curved surface with high curvature by modeling it as a contiguous array of finite segments. The approach would significantly facilitate the calculation with good accuracy because of the inherent nature that transfer matrix analysis can be used. Using the segmentation model, resonance characteristics at SPR were obtained as the curvature radius was varied. For validation of the segmentation, resonance wavelength (λ_SPR), reflectance at resonance (R_SPR), and resonance width (δλ_SPR) were compared with the finite element method in the parallel and perpendicular light incidence. It was found that the results from the segmentation were in excellent agreement, λ_SPR in particular, while R_SPR and δλ_SPR under parallel incidence showed disparity between the two models due to the short segmentation. Resonance of curved surface on the rigid and flexible substrate was compared and the overall trend was found to be almost identical. The segmentation is expected to provide a simple, fast, and efficient way for studying plasmonic devices with high curvature in flexible and wearable applications.

Highly confined dielectric guiding mode in nanoridges embedded in a conventional slot waveguide

Plasmonic waveguides can offer a promising solution beyond the optical diffraction limit. However, the cost of shrinking mode sizes reflects in metallic ohmic losses that lead to a short propagation distance of light, hindering the practical applications of plasmonic waveguides. Herein, we tackled the practicality of a novel CMOS-compatible all-dielectric waveguide structure that exploits electromagnetic boundary conditions of both the continuous normal component of the electric displacement field and the tangential component of the electric field at a high-index-contrast interface, which allows the attainment of mode areas comparable with those of plasmonic waveguides and theoretical lossless. The proposed waveguide comprises two oppositely contacted nanoridges with semicircular tops embedded in a conventional slot waveguide. By stepping on the strong electric field in the low-index slot region of the slot waveguides, the nanoridges squeeze the mode areas further with a guiding mechanism identical to that of a surrounding slot waveguide. Through the design of the geometry parameters, the calculated mode area of the reported structure achieved an unprecedented order of 4.21 × 10^-5A₀, where A₀ is the diffraction-limited area. The mode area dependence on fabrication imperfections and spectral response showed the robustness and broadband operation. Moreover, on the basis of extremely tight mode confinements, the present waveguide even outperformed the hybrid plasmonic waveguides in lower crosstalk. The proposed idea makes the realization of practically feasible nanoscale photonic integrated circuits without any obstructions by the limited propagation distance of light for plasmonic waveguides, thereby expanding its applications in various nanophotonic and optoelectronics devices requiring strong light-matter interaction within nanoscale regions.

Substrate-mediated hyperbolic phonon polaritons in MoO3

Hyperbolic phonon polaritons (HPhPs) are hybrid excitations of light and coherent lattice vibrations that exist in strongly optically anisotropic media, including two-dimensional materials (e.g., MoO₃). These polaritons propagate through the material's volume with long lifetimes, enabling novel mid-infrared nanophotonic applications by compressing light to sub-diffractional dimensions. Here, the dispersion relations and HPhP lifetimes (up to ≈12 ps) in single-crystalline α-MoO₃ are determined by Fourier analysis of real-space, nanoscale-resolution polariton images obtained with the photothermal induced resonance (PTIR) technique. Measurements of MoO₃ crystals deposited on periodic gratings show longer HPhPs propagation lengths and lifetimes (≈2×), and lower optical compressions, in suspended regions compared with regions in direct contact with the substrate. Additionally, PTIR data reveal MoO₃ subsurface defects, which have a negligible effect on HPhP propagation, as well as polymeric contaminants localized under parts of the MoO₃ crystals, which are derived from sample preparation. This work highlights the ability to engineer substrate-defined nanophotonic structures from layered anisotropic materials.

Hyperbolic surface waves on anisotropic materials without hyperbolic dispersion

We theoretically analyze directional surface electromagnetic waves supported at an interface between an isotropic medium and anisotropic metal with effective uniaxial negative permittivity. We identify two types of surface wave solutions, resulting in unique hyperbolic dispersion in the wavevector space. Such anisotropic metal can be realized by alternating dielectric and metallic layers with deep subwavelength thicknesses or metallic nanowires in dielectric host. Such systems serve as a platform for many applications in nanophotonics.

Ultrathin PEDOT:PSS Enables Colorful and Efficient Perovskite Light-Emitting Diodes

Recently, metal halide perovskite light-emitting diodes (Pero-LEDs) have achieved significant improvement in device performance, especially for external quantum efficiency (EQE). And EQE is mostly determined by internal quantum efficiency of the emitting material, charge injection balancing factor (ηc), and light extraction efficiency (LEE) of the device. Herein, an ultrathin poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene):poly(styrene sulfonate) (UT-PEDOT:PSS) hole transporter layer is prepared by a water stripping method, and the UT-PEDOT:PSS can enhance ηc and LEE simultaneously in Pero-LEDs, mostly due to the improved carrier mobility, more matched energy level alignment, and reduced photon loss. More importantly, the performance enhancement from UT-PEDOT:PSS is quite universal and applicable in different kinds of Pero-LEDs. As a result, the EQEs of Pero-LEDs based on 3D, quasi-3D, and quasi-2D perovskites obtain enhancements of 42%, 87%, and 111%, and the corresponding maximum EQE reaches 17.6%, 15.0%, and 6.8%, respectively.

Wave Front Tuning of Coupled Hyperbolic Surface Waves on Anisotropic Interfaces

A photonic surface wave, a propagating optical mode localized at the interface of two media, can play a significant role in controlling the flow of light at nanoscale. Among various types of such waves, surface waves with hyperbolic dispersion or simply hyperbolic surface waves supported on anisotropic metal interfaces can be exploited to effectively control the propagation of lightwaves. We used semi-analytical and numerical methods to study the nature of surface waves on several configurations of three-layers metal–dielectric–metal systems including isotropic and anisotropic cases where the metal cladding layers were assumed to have infinite thickness. We used semi-analytical and numerical approaches to study the phenomena. We showed that the propagation of surface wave can be tuned from diverging to converging in the plane of the interface by the combination of metals with different anisotropic properties.

Localized surface plasmon resonances of a metal nanoring

Using the linear combination of atomic orbitals real-time-propagation rt-TDDFT technique and transition contribution maps, we study the optical and plasmonic features of a metal nanoring made up of sodium atoms.

Electron-Beam-Driven III-Nitride Plasmonic Nanolasers in the Deep-UV and Visible Region

Plasmonic nanolasers based on wide bandgap semiconductors are presently attracting immense research interests due to the breaking in light diffraction limit and subwavelength mode operation with fast dynamics. However, these plasmonic nanolasers have so far been mostly realized in the visible light ranges, or most are still under optical excitation pumping. In this work, III-nitride-based plasmonic nanolasers emitting from the green to the deep-ultraviolet (UV) region by energetic electron beam injection are reported, and a threshold as low as 8 kW cm^-2 is achieved. A fast decay time as short as 123 ps is collected, indicating a strong coupling between excitons and surface plasmon. Both the spatial and temporal coherences are observed, which provide a solid evidence for exciton-plasmon coupled polariton lasing. Consequently, the achievements in III-nitride-based plasmonic nanolaser devices represent a significant step toward practical applications for biological technology, computing systems, and on-chip optical communication.

Towards Deep Integration of Electronics and Photonics

A combination of computational power provided by modern MOSFET-based devices with light assisted wideband communication at the nanoscale can bring electronic technologies to the next level. Obvious obstacles include a size mismatch between electronic and photonic components as well as a weak light–matter interaction typical for existing devices. Polariton modes can be used to overcome these difficulties at the fundamental level. Here, we review applications of such modes, related to the design and fabrication of electro–optical circuits. The emphasis is made on surface plasmon-polaritons which have already demonstrated their value in many fields of technology. Other possible quasiparticles as well as their hybridization with plasmons are discussed. A quasiparticle-based paradigm in electronics, developed at the microscopic level, can be used in future molecular electronics and quantum computing.

Direct Observations of Surface Plasmon Polaritons in Highly Conductive Organic Thin Film

Plasmonic effect plays a significant role in many optoelectronic devices and enables various innovative applications. It has been widely studied in metallic materials, for example, Ag and Au, and later was expanded to transparent conductive oxides, etc. However, such plasmonic structures have limitations in many emerging optoelectronics including flexible optoelectronics, organic optoelectronics, and so on, due to their inorganic natures. In this manuscript, we discovered that the acid-modified highly conductive organic PEDOT:PSS film shows interesting plasmonic properties in the vis-NIR region and exhibits great potentials for activating surface plasmon polaritons. The dispersion curves of dielectric permittivity and optical constants of two modified PEDOT:PSS samples are obtained by inversion calculation of the spectroscopic ellipsometry data with the Drude-Lorentz dispersion model. The permittivity crossover wavelengths λ_C and the surface plasmon wavelengths λ_sp are found to be located squarely in the 650-900 nm range, which will enable future plasmonic device applications in the vis-NIR region. The activation of surface plasmon polaritons propagation mode of modified PEDOT:PSS is directly observed and confirmed by prism coupling experiments. In addition, further quantitative analysis revealed that our modified PEDOT:PSS samples have comparable abilities to generate, propagate, and confine surface plasmon polaritons as indium tin oxide (ITO). To the best of our knowledge, this is the first direct demonstration of an organic structure showing equivalent plasmonic properties to the inorganic ones. We believe it will open up much more possibilities for the optoelectronic devices, due to the flexibility, lightness, biological compatibility, and solution processability of the organic plasmonic materials.

Dynamic control of plasmonic beams

We experimentally demonstrate dynamic, electrically controlled shaping of plasmonic beams, propagating at the boundary between a metal and a dielectric, by using the thermo-optic effect. The concept is based on selectively heating a specific region in which the plasmonic beam passes by injecting electrical current to an isolated metal layer. This leads to transverse modulation of the wavefront through the thermal dispersion of the dielectric layer above this metal region. We demonstrate two active plasmonic devices: a plasmonic mode converter between the fundamental and first-order Hermite-Gauss modes and a tunable plasmonic lens with a dynamically varying focal length.

Modifying Plasmonic-Field Enhancement and Resonance Characteristics of Spherical Nanoparticles on Metallic Film: Effects of Faceting Spherical Nanoparticle Morphology

A three-dimensional finite-difference time-domain study of the plasmonic structure of nanoparticles on metallic film (NPOM) is presented in this work. An introduction to nanoparticle (NP) faceting in the NPOM structure produced a variety of complex transverse cavity modes, which were labeled S11 to S13. We observed that the dominant S11 mode resonance could be tuned to the desired wavelength within a broadband range of ~800 nm, with a maximum resonance up to ~1.42 µm, as a function of NP facet width. Despite being tuned at the broad spectral range, the S11 mode demonstrated minimal decrease in its near field enhancement characteristics, which can be advantageous for surface-enhanced spectroscopy applications and device fabrication perspectives. The identification of mode order was interpreted using cross-sectional electric field profiles and three-dimensional surface charge mapping. We realized larger local field enhancement in the order of ~109, even for smaller NP diameters of 50 nm, as function of the NP faceting effect. The number of radial modes were dependent upon the combination of NP diameter and faceting length. We hope that, by exploring the sub-wavelength complex optical properties of the plasmonic structures of NPOM, a variety of exciting applications will be revealed in the fields of sensors, non-linear optics, device engineering/processing, broadband tunable plasmonic devices, near-infrared plasmonics, and surface-enhanced spectroscopy.

Tailoring the emission polarization with metasurface-based emitters designed on a plasmonic ridge waveguide

Because of low propagation losses and flexible communication paths, inter-chip optical communications based on plasmonic emitters and receivers can overcome the obstacle of the inherent ohmic loss in metallic nanostructures. To increase the communication capacity and integration density in inter-chip optical communications, we propose to tailor the polarization states of the free-radiation fields from the emitters in both the spectral domain and spatial domain by designing the phased and polarized arrangement of subwavelength metallic nanogroove antennas on a two-dimensional plasmonic ridge waveguide. Herein, the utilization of the two-dimensional plasmonic waveguide with tight field confinements considerably decreases the crosstalk to nearby plasmonic devices in plasmonic circuits and chips. In the spectral domain, three different polarization states of the free-radiation fields from the same emitter are experimentally realized at three specific wavelengths. In the spatial domain, the different polarization states as well as the gear polarization states are experimentally demonstrated. Moreover, the separation of the adjacent polarization-tailoring plasmonic emitters is only 5% of that in dielectric emitters because of the ultra-compact size (<0.6λ2) of metasurface-based plasmonic emitters.

Tunable hybridization of graphene plasmons and dielectric modes for highly confined light transmit at terahertz wavelength

We theoretically report a novel graphene-based hybrid plasmonic waveguide (GHPW) by integrating a GaAs micro-tube on a silica spacer that is supported by a graphene-coated substrate. In comprehensive numerical simulations on guiding properties of the GHPW, it was found that the size of hybrid plasmonic mode (TM) can be reduced significantly to ~10^-4(λ²/4), in conjunction with long propagation distances up to tens of micrometers by tuning the the waveguide's key structure parameters and graphene's chemical potential. Moreover, crosstalk between two adjacent GHPWs that are placed on the same substrate has been analyzed and ultralow crosstalk can be realized. The proposed scheme potentially enables realization of the various high performance nanophotonic components-based subwavelength plasmonic waveguides in terahertz domain.

Design of Surface Plasmon Nanolaser Based on MoS2

The paper has proposed a new structure based on MoS2. The electric field distribution, the locality and the loss of the mode, and the threshold under different geometric shapes and parameters are investigated using COMSOL Multiphysics software, based on the finite element method. The different influenced degree of each component is also analyzed. Simulation results reveal that this kind of nanolaser has a low loss and high field confinement ability, the radius of CdS and Ag make a major contribution to the low loss and low threshold, and field confinement ability is mainly affected by the height of air gap. Under optimal parameters, effective propagation loss is only 0.00013, and the lasing threshold can be as low as 0.11 μm−1. The results provide theory and technique support to the field of new nanolaser design.

Ultra-compact branchless plasmonic interferometers

Miniaturization of functional optical devices and circuits is a key prerequisite for a myriad of applications ranging from biosensing to quantum information processing. This development has considerably been spurred by rapid developments within plasmonics exploiting its unprecedented ability to squeeze light into subwavelength scale. In this study, we investigate on-chip plasmonic systems allowing for synchronous excitation of multiple inputs and examine the interference between two adjacent excited channels. We present a branchless interferometer consisting of two parallel plasmonic waveguides that can be either selectively or coherently excited via ultra-compact antenna couplers. The total coupling efficiency is quantitatively characterized in a systematic manner and shown to exceed 15% for small waveguide separations, with the power distribution between the two waveguides being efficiently and dynamically shaped by adjusting the incident beam position. The presented design principle can readily be extended to other configurations, giving new perspectives for highly dense integrated plasmonic circuitry, optoelectronic devices, and sensing applications.

Ultralow loss graphene-based hybrid plasmonic waveguide with deep-subwavelength confinement

In this paper, we theoretically propose a novel graphene-based hybrid plasmonic waveguide (GHPW) consisting of a low-index rectangle waveguide between a high-index cylindrical dielectric waveguide and the substrate with coated graphene on the surface. The geometric dependence of the mode characteristics on the proposed structure is analyzed in detail, showing that the proposed GHPW has a low loss and consequently a relatively long propagation distance. For TM polarization, highly confined modes guided in the low-index gap region between the graphene and the high-index GaAs and the normalized modal area is as small as 0.0018 (λ²/4) at 3 THz. In addition to enabling the building of high-density integration of the proposed structure are examined by analyzing crosstalk in a directional coupler composed of two GHPWs. This structure also exhibits ultra-low crosstalk when a center-to-center separation between adjacent GHPWs is 32μm, which shows great promise for constructing various terahertz integrated devices.

Differential Wavevector Distribution of Surface-Enhanced Raman Scattering and Fluorescence in a Film-Coupled Plasmonic Nanowire Cavity

We report on the experimental observation of differential wavevector distribution of surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) and fluorescence from dye molecules confined to a gap between plasmonic silver nanowire and a thin, gold mirror. The fluorescence was mainly confined to higher values of in-plane wavevectors, whereas SERS signal was uniformly distributed along all the wavevectors. The optical energy-momentum spectra from the distal end of the nanowire revealed strong polarization dependence of this differentiation. All these observations were corroborated by full-wave three-dimensional numerical simulations, which further revealed an interesting connection between out-coupled wavevectors and parameters such as hybridized modes in the gap-plasmon cavity, and orientation and location of molecular dipoles in the geometry. Our results reveal a new prospect of discriminating electronic and vibrational transitions in resonant dye molecules using a subwavelength gap plasmonic cavity in the continuous-wave excitation limit, and can be further harnessed to engineer molecular radiative relaxation processes in momentum space.

Plasmonic waveguide design for the enhanced forward stimulated brillouin scattering in diamond

We propose a scheme of metal/dielectric/metal waveguide for the enhanced forward stimulated Brillouin scattering (FSBS) in diamond that is mediated by gap surface plasmons. Numerical results based on finite-element method show that the maximum Brillouin gain in the small gap (~100 nm) can exceed 10⁶ W⁻¹ m⁻¹, which is three orders of magnitude higher than that in diamond-only waveguides. It is found that the radiation pressure that exists at the boundaries of metal and diamond plays a dominant role in contributing to the enhanced forward stimulated Brillouin gain, although electrostrictive forces interfere destructively. Detailed study shows that high FSBS gain can still be obtained regardless of the photoelastic property of the dielectric material in the proposed plasmonic waveguide. The strong photon-phonon coupling in this gap-surface-plasmon waveguide may make our design useful in the development of phonon laser, RF wave generation and optomechanical information processing in quantum system.

Photonic surface waves on metamaterial interfaces

A surface wave (SW) in optics is a light wave, which is supported at an interface of two dissimilar media and propagates along the interface with its field amplitude exponentially decaying away from the boundary. Research on surface waves has been flourishing in the last few decades due to their unique properties of surface sensitivity and field localization. These features have resulted in applications in nano-guiding, sensing, light-trapping and imaging based on near-field techniques, contributing to the establishment of nanophotonics as a field of research. Up to now, a wide variety of surface waves has been investigated in numerous material and structure settings. This article reviews the recent progress and development in the physics of SWs localized at metamaterial interfaces, as well as bulk media in order to provide broader perspectives on optical surface waves in general. For each type of surface wave, we discuss the material and structural platforms. We mainly focus on experimental realizations in the visible and near-infrared wavelength ranges. We also address existing and potential application of SWs in chemical and biological sensing, and experimental excitation and characterization methods.

Tunable and high-sensitivity sensing based on Fano resonance with coupled plasmonic cavities

Tunable and high-sensitivity sensing based on Fano resonance is analytically and numerically investigated in coupled plasmonic cavities structure. To analyze and manipulate the Fano line shape, the coupled cavities are taken as a composite cavity that supports at least two resonance modes. A theoretical model is newly-established, and its results agree well with the finite difference time domain (FDTD) simulations for the plasmonic stub-pair structure. The detection sensitivity factor in coupled cavities approaches 6.541 × 10⁷ m⁻¹, which is an order of magnitude larger than single stub case. In addition, the wavelengths of resonant modes in the plasmonic stub-pair structure can be adjusted independently, which paves a new way for improving detection sensitivity. These discoveries hold potential applications for realizing tunable and highly integrated photonic devices.

Broadband Ultra-Deep Sub-Diffraction-Limit Optical Focusing by Metallic Graded-Index (MGRIN) Lenses

The development of techniques for efficiently confining energy in the visible and infrared spectral regions to the deep subwavelength spatial scale with dimensions as small as a few nanometers would have great significance for scientific research and engineering practices. Such an ability to manipulate light is impossible for conventional dielectric lenses due to the diffraction limit. Here, we propose a metallic graded-index (MGRIN) lens formed by an array of coupled metallic waveguides with identical nanoscale widths embedded by index-varying dielectrics to enable the optical nanofocusing. The focusing mechanism of the MGRIN lens is theoretically investigated based on Hamiltonian optics, which are verified by the finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) method. Numerical results reveal that an ultra-deep subwavelength focus of 8 nm (λ/500) with a long focal depth (1.93λ) and enhanced field intensity can be achieved. Moreover, the nanofocusing capability of the MGRIN lens without redesigning the structure can be well kept when the incident wavelength changes over a broad range from visible to infrared. Our design of optical nanofocusing shows great potential for use in nano-optics and nanotechnology.

Nanostructured plasmonic metapixels

State-of-the-art pixels for high-resolution microdisplays utilize reflective surfaces on top of electrical backplanes. Each pixel is a single fixed color and will usually only modulate the amplitude of light. With the rise of nanophotonics, a pixel's relatively large surface area (~10 μm2), is in effect underutilized. Considering the unique optical phenomena associated with plasmonic nanostructures, the scope for use in reflective pixel technology for increased functionality is vast. Yet in general, low reflectance due to plasmonic losses, and sub-optimal design schemes, have limited the real-world application. Here we demonstrate the plasmonic metapixel; which permits high reflection capability whilst providing vivid, polarization switchable, wide color gamut filtering. Ultra-thin nanostructured metal-insulator-metal geometries result in the excitation of hybridized absorption modes across the visible spectrum. These modes include surface plasmons and quasi-guided modes, and by tailoring the absorption modes to exist either side of target wavelengths, we achieve pixels with polarization dependent multicolor reflection on mirror-like surfaces. Because the target wavelength is not part of a plasmonic process, subtractive color filtering and mirror-like reflection occurs. We demonstrate wide color-range pixels, RGB pixel designs, and in-plane Gaussian profile pixels that have the potential to enable new functionality beyond that of a conventional 'square' pixel.

High-Quality Ultrathin Gold Layers with an APTMS Adhesion for Optimal Performance of Surface Plasmon Polariton-Based Devices

A low-absorption adhesion layer plays a crucial role for both localized and propagating surface plasmons when ultrathin gold is used. To date, the most popular adhesion layers are metallic, namely, Cr and Ti. However, to the best of our knowledge, the influence of these adhesion layers on the behavior of propagating plasmon modes has not been thoroughly investigated nor reported in the literature. It is therefore important to study the effect of these few- to several-nanometers-thick adhesion layers on the propagating plasmons because it may affect the performance of plasmonic devices, in particular, when the Au layer is not much thicker than the adhesion layers. We experimentally compared the performances of the ultrathin gold films to show the pivotal influence of adhesion layers on highly confined propagating plasmonic modes, using Cr and 3-aminopropyl trimethoxysilane (APTMS) adhesion layers and without any adhesion layer. We show that the gold films with the APTMS adhesion layer have the lowest surface roughness and the short-range surface plasmon polaritons supported on the Au surface exhibit properties close to the theoretical calculations, considering an ideal gold film.

Terahertz surface plasmon polariton waveguiding with periodic metallic cylinders

We demonstrated a structure with periodic cylinders arranged bilaterally and a thin dielectric layer covered inside that supports bound modes of surface plasmon polaritons at terahertz frequencies. This structure can confine the surface plasmon polaritons in the lateral direction, and at the same time reduce the field expansion into space. We examined and explored the characteristics of several different structures using scanning near-field terahertz microscopy. The proposed designs pave a novel way to terahertz waveguiding and may have important applications in the development of flexible, wideband and compact photonic circuits operating at terahertz frequencies.

Dual-SNOM investigations of multimode interference in plasmonic strip waveguides

The ability of squeezing and guiding light in nanoscale plasmonic waveguides makes them especially interesting for photonic circuits. In spite of reported realizations of plasmonic waveguides, experimental studies on the content of plasmonic modes and mode-selective excitation methods are rare. We apply here a Dual-SNOM technique, incorporating two aperture scanning near-field optical microscopes, for simultaneous near-field excitation and detection of plasmonic modes in gold strip waveguides. Depending on the waveguide width, either a single waveguide mode or a beating pattern of several modes is observed. The relative excitation strengths of the individual modes in multi-mode waveguides are shown to be controllable by the lateral position of the excitation tip. The excitation coefficients are described by an analytical model and the results are fully corroborated by analytical calculations and full-wave numerical simulations. The Dual-SNOM technique provides a "non-invasive" method of local excitation and detection of photonic modes thus making it a valuable tool for in situ characterization of complex photonic micro- and nanostructures.

Monitoring the surface quality of silver plasmon waveguides with nonlinear photoemission electron microscopy and in-situ ion sputtering

We use photoemission electron microscopy (PEEM) with single- and two-photon excitation to study the properties of surface plasmon polaritons (SPPs) in tapered silver stripe waveguides. Arrays of waveguides with different widths, grating coupler geometries, and taper angles are fabricated using electron beam lithography (EBL) on Si and indium-tin-oxide (ITO)-covered glass substrates. The presence of propagating SPP modes is indicated by modulations of the non-linear photoemission intensity which run along the length of the waveguide - the result of interfering SPPs reflected from the edges. Surface roughness also results in the presence of random emission hot spots and strong edge diffraction, which hinders an analysis of the effect of waveguide geometry on SPP propagation length and nanofocusing. Accordingly, we develop a relatively simple, in-situ method of reducing the surface roughness by argon ion sputtering using low-energy (∼ 300eV) ions. Surface roughness is qualitatively assessed by the ratio of the photoemission from the central interference fringes to that from the edges, and from the hot spot intensity. The improvement of the surface quality is a critical step for reducing radiative losses and therefore increasing the propagation length of plasmonic waveguides.

Selective excitation of surface plasmon modes propagating in Ag nanowires

Surface plasmon modes propagating in metal nanowires are conveniently excited by focusing a laser beam on one extremity of the nanowire. We find that the precise positioning of the nanowire inside the focal region drastically influences the excitation efficiency of the different SPP modes sustained by the plasmonic waveguide. We demonstrate a spatially selective excitation of bound and leaky surface plasmon modes with excitation maps that strongly depend on the orientation of the incident linear polarization. We discuss this modal selection by considering the inhomogeneous distribution of the field components inside the focus. Our finding provides a way to discriminate the effective indices of the modes offering thus an increased coupling agility for future nanowire-based plasmonic architectures.

Replacing noble metals with alternative materials in plasmonics and metamaterials: how good an idea?

Noble metals that currently dominate the fields of plasmonics and metamaterials suffer from large ohmic losses. Some of the new plasmonic materials, such as doped oxides and nitrides, have smaller material loss, and using them in place of metals carries the promise of reduced-loss plasmonic and metamaterial structures, with sharper resonances and higher field concentrations. This promise is put to a rigorous analytical test in this work, which reveals that having low material loss is not sufficient to have reduced modal loss in plasmonic structures. To reduce the modal loss, it is absolutely necessary for the plasma frequency to be significantly higher than the operational frequency. Using examples of nanoparticle plasmons and gap plasmons one comes to the conclusion that, even in the mid-infrared spectrum, metals continue to hold an advantage over alternative media when it comes to propagation distances and field enhancements. Of course, the new materials still have an application niche where high absorption loss is beneficial, e.g. in medicine and thermal photovoltaics.This article is part of the themed issue 'New horizons for nanophotonics'.

Plasmonic waveguide with folded stubs for highly confined terahertz propagation and concentration

We proposed a novel planar terahertz (THz) plasmonic waveguide with folded stub arrays to achieve excellent terahertz propagation performance with tight field confinement and compact size based on the concept of spoof surface plasmon polaritons (spoof SPPs). It is found that the waveguide propagation characteristics can be directly manipulated by increasing the length of the folded stubs without increasing its lateral dimension, which exhibits much lower asymptotic frequency of the dispersion relation and even tighter terahertz field confinement than conventional plasmonic waveguides with rectangular stub arrays. Based on this waveguiding scheme, a terahertz concentrator with gradual step-length folded stubs is proposed to achieve high terahertz field enhancement, and an enhancement factor greater than 20 is demonstrated. This work offers a new perspective on very confined terahertz propagation and concentration, which may have promising potential applications in various integrated terahertz plasmonic circuits and devices, terahertz sensing and terahertz nonlinear optics.

Hybrid Dielectric-loaded Nanoridge Plasmonic Waveguide for Low-Loss Light Transmission at the Subwavelength Scale

The emerging development of the hybrid plasmonic waveguide has recently received significant attention owing to its remarkable capability of enabling subwavelength field confinement and great transmission distance. Here we report a guiding approach that integrates hybrid plasmon polariton with dielectric-loaded plasmonic waveguiding. By introducing a deep-subwavelength dielectric ridge between a dielectric slab and a metallic substrate, a hybrid dielectric-loaded nanoridge plasmonic waveguide is formed. The waveguide features lower propagation loss than its conventional hybrid waveguiding counterpart, while maintaining strong optical confinement at telecommunication wavelengths. Through systematic structural parameter tuning, we realize an efficient balance between confinement and attenuation of the fundamental hybrid mode, and we demonstrate the tolerance of its properties despite fabrication imperfections. Furthermore, we show that the waveguide concept can be extended to other metal/dielectric composites as well, including metal-insulator-metal and insulator-metal-insulator configurations. Our hybrid dielectric-loaded nanoridge plasmonic platform may serve as a fundamental building block for various functional photonic components and be used in applications such as sensing, nanofocusing, and nanolasing.

Plasmonic channel waveguides in random arrays of metallic nanoparticles

We report detailed characterization of surface plasmon-polariton guiding along 1-, 1.5- and 2-μm-wide channels in high-density (~75 μm^-2) random arrays of gold 70-nm-high and 50-nm-wide nanoparticles fabricated on a 70-nm-thin gold film supported by a 170-μm-thick silica substrate. The mode propagation losses, effective index dispersion, and scattering parameters are characterized using leakage-radiation microscopy, in direct and Fourier planes, in the wavelength range of 740-840 nm. It is found that the mode supported by 2-μm-wide channels propagates over > 10 μm in straight waveguides, with the corresponding S-bends and Y-splitters functioning reasonably well. The results show that the SPP waves can efficiently be guided by narrow scattering-free channels cut through randomly corrugated surface regions. The potential of this waveguiding mechanism is yet to be fully explored by tuning the scattering mean-free path and localization length via the density and size of random nanoparticles. Nevertheless, the results obtained are encouraging and promising diverse applications of these waveguide components in plasmonic circuitry.

Curvature effects on flexible surface plasmon resonance biosensing: segmented-wave analysis

We investigate the effect of surface curvature on characteristics of flexible surface plasmon resonance biosensors. For simplified analysis, segmentation-based approximation of curved substrates has been conducted in a range of curvature radius |r| > 225 μm in the parallel and perpendicular light incidence with respect to the surface. The results suggest that resonance characteristics in general broaden with increased curvature due to larger momentum dispersion, the effect of which appears more prominent and direct in the parallel light incidence. Resonance shifts as a result of biosensing, such as DNA immobilization and hybridization, overall decrease with curvature and perpendicular incidence is more robust with a curvature change. The approach was extended to multi-curvature structure and finds significant fluctuation of resonance shift for parallel light incidence. The study can be of profound importance for plasmonic devices using flexible substrates and in fiber-based in vivo applications.

Compact Feeding Network for Array Radiations of Spoof Surface Plasmon Polaritons

We propose a splitter feeding network for array radiations of spoof surface plasmon polaritons (SPPs), which are guided by ultrathin corrugated metallic strips. Based on the coupled mode theory, SPP fields along a single waveguide in a certain frequency range can be readily coupled into two adjacent branch waveguides with the same propagation constants. We propose to load U-shaped particles anti-symmetrically at the ends of such two branch waveguides, showing a high integration degree of the feeding network. By controlling linear phase modulations produced by the U-shaped particle chain, we demonstrate theoretically and experimentally that the SPP fields based on bound modes can be efficiently radiated to far fields in broadside direction. The proposed method shows that the symmetry of electromagnetic field modes can be exploited to the SPP transmission network, providing potential solutions to compact power dividers and combiners for microwave and optical devices and systems.

Near-wavelength diffraction gratings for surface plasmon polaritons

In this Letter, we study numerically diffraction gratings for surface plasmon polaritons. Investigated plasmonic gratings consist of a periodic set of dielectric ridges located on the metal surface. The grating period is comparable with the wavelength of the incident wave. The simulation results obtained within the rigorous coupled-wave analysis framework have shown that the SPP diffraction on a plasmonic grating with parasitic scattering suppression is remarkably close to the diffraction of a TE-polarized plane wave on a conventional grating. A compact and efficient reflecting plasmonic grating is considered as an example. The presented results can be used for the design of high-efficiency two-dimensional optical elements for steering surface plasmon propagation.

Near-field observation of surface plasmon polaritons launched by V-shaped nanorods on a gold surface

By scanning near-field optical microscopy, we study the propagation of surface waves created by V-shaped nanorods deposited on a gold thin film. The nanorods launch surface plasmon polaritons that interfere with the incident light, producing interference patterns. The angle of the V-shaped rods varies from 110° to 180° (straight rod). We observe that the near-field distribution strongly depends on the angle of the V. For angles close to straight rods, a hot spot is visible, whereas for a narrower angle, the surface plasmon waves are launched in specific directions. The experimental results are in good qualitative agreement with numerical simulations performed with a simple analytical model that considers the rods as a sum of isolated surface plasmon sources.

Wedge Waveguides and Resonators for Quantum Plasmonics

Plasmonic structures can provide deep-subwavelength electromagnetic fields that are useful for enhancing light-matter interactions. However, because these localized modes are also dissipative, structures that offer the best compromise between field confinement and loss have been sought. Metallic wedge waveguides were initially identified as an ideal candidate but have been largely abandoned because to date their experimental performance has been limited. We combine state-of-the-art metallic wedges with integrated reflectors and precisely placed colloidal quantum dots (down to the single-emitter level) and demonstrate quantum-plasmonic waveguides and resonators with performance approaching theoretical limits. By exploiting a nearly 10-fold improvement in wedge-plasmon propagation (19 μm at a vacuum wavelength, λvac, of 630 nm), efficient reflectors (93%), and effective coupling (estimated to be >70%) to highly emissive (~90%) quantum dots, we obtain Ag plasmonic resonators at visible wavelengths with quality factors approaching 200 (3.3 nm line widths). As our structures offer modal volumes down to ~0.004λvac(3) in an exposed single-mode waveguide-resonator geometry, they provide advantages over both traditional photonic microcavities and localized-plasmonic resonators for enhancing light-matter interactions. Our results confirm the promise of wedges for creating plasmonic devices and for studying coherent quantum-plasmonic effects such as long-distance plasmon-mediated entanglement and strong plasmon-matter coupling.

Plasmonic coaxial waveguide-cavity devices

We theoretically investigate three-dimensional plasmonic waveguide-cavity structures, built by side-coupling stub resonators that consist of plasmonic coaxial waveguides of finite length, to a plasmonic coaxial waveguide. The resonators are terminated either in a short or an open circuit. We show that the properties of these waveguide-cavity systems can be accurately described using a single-mode scattering matrix theory. We also show that, with proper choice of their design parameters, three-dimensional plasmonic coaxial waveguide-cavity devices and two-dimensional metal-dielectric-metal devices can have nearly identical transmission spectra. Thus, three-dimensional plasmonic coaxial waveguides offer a platform for practical implementation of two-dimensional metal-dielectric-metal device designs.