Electron-induced limitation of surface plasmon propagation in silver nanowires

Abstract

Plasmonic circuitry is considered as a promising solution-effective technology for miniaturizing and integrating the next generation of optical nano-devices. A key element is the shared metal network between electrical and optical information enabling an efficient hetero-integration of an electronic control layer and a plasmonic data link. Here, we investigate to what extent surface plasmons and current-carrying electrons interfere in such a shared circuitry. By synchronously recording surface plasmon propagation and electrical output characteristics of individual chemically-synthesized silver nanowires we determine the limiting factors hindering the co-propagation of an electrical current and a surface plasmon in these nanoscale circuits.

Identification and control of multiple leaky plasmon modes in silver nanowires

“…As a result of combining the physical characteristic of both “plasmonics” and “leaky radiation”, the LPMs in silver NWs present several advantageous traits: (1) their propagation losses can be even lower than those of bound plasmon modes due to a decreasing fraction of energy confined within the silver ; (2) enhanced light‐matter interaction (such as coupling between polaritons and excitons in QDs, the interaction between polaritons and chemical molecules in sensors) can benefit from the leaky radiation of these LPMs ; (3) the leaky radiation itself provides an extra avenue for detection . The LPMs have been mainly studied by implementing three strategies: (1) near‐field imaging with SNOM , electron energy loss spectroscopy or photoemission electron microscopy , (2) far‐field real‐space imaging , and (3) leakage radiation microscopy (also called far‐field Fourier‐space imaging) . Based on the above approaches, a single LPM in a silver NW has been experimentally reported so far .…”

“…The LPMs have been mainly studied by implementing three strategies: (1) near‐field imaging with SNOM , electron energy loss spectroscopy or photoemission electron microscopy , (2) far‐field real‐space imaging , and (3) leakage radiation microscopy (also called far‐field Fourier‐space imaging) . Based on the above approaches, a single LPM in a silver NW has been experimentally reported so far . References studied the control over radiation direction of single leaky plasmon mode on silver nanowires.…”

Excitation of surface plasmons from silver nanowires embedded in polymer nanofibers

“…Therefore, AgNWs have been extensively applied in Raman detection, 5 logical components, 6 nanolasing, 7 light harvesting, 8 surface plasmon resonance generation 9 and nanoantennas. 10,11 To date, excitation of surface plasmons in AgNWs was realized by prism coupling, 12 focusing light into one end of the AgNWs through a microscope objective, 13,14 coupling light to AgNWs by a nanoparticle antenna-based approach, 15 and direct coupling between photonic waveguides and AgNWs. 16,17 The excitations of surface plasmons obtained by these techniques show an efficient light-plasmon coupling efficiency and a good reproducibility.…”

Pre-determining the location of electromigrated gaps by nonlinear optical imaging

“…These pre-existing current-crowding points lead to a local rise of the temperature and are the starting point of the rupture [22,23]. For chemically synthesized metal nanowires, the position of the failure is often at the electrical contact with the electrodes [24].…”