Integrated optical components utilizing long-range surface plasmon polaritons

Theoretical analysis of ridge gratings for long-range surface plasmon polaritons

“…However, due to the requirement of low loss for optical devices, in particular for telecommunication, it is of interest to reduce the appreciable propagation loss of SPP waves by replacing the metal-dielectric interface with a thin metal film 2,3 or a thin metal stripe [4][5][6] embedded in a dielectric. The thin metal films and stripes may support guided waves with a much lower propagation loss compared to SPP waves, and these waves are therefore referred to as longrange surface plasmon polaritons ͑LRSPPs͒.…”

Nanoimprinted long-range surface plasmon polariton waveguide components

“…For 10 nm thick, 8 µm wide waveguides, the mode field diameter is symmetric and well matched to that of a standard single-mode fibre (Figure 2b). Cut-back measurements indicate that the propagation loss is similar to that reported in waveguides fabricated by other techniques [2,3]. In order to demonstrate the use of nanoimprint technology we also fabricated waveguides with reflection gratings based on small periodic perturbations in the metal film.…”

“…One way to overcome these problems is to use so-called long-range SPP waveguides which consist of an ultra-thin layer of metal embedded in a dielectric material. Such structures have been fabricated previously, using glass-polymer [2] or polymer-polymer sandwiches [3], leading to new device designs compatible with standard optical fibre technology, including devices containing sub-wavelength features patterned with electron-beam lithography [4].…”

Metal strips and wires as plasmonic waveguides for integrated-optics components

“…For a strip waveguide embedded in dielectric, the dimensions of the metal strip can be chosen so that the LR-SPP field distribution matches that of a single-mode fiber, facilitating the efficient end-fire excitation with coupling loss of less than 1 dB per facet [8,9]. Efficient LR-SPP excitation and guiding (at telecom wavelengths) along thin gold strips embedded in a dielectric was realized demonstrating a coupling loss of ~ 0.5 dB and propagation loss of ~ 6-8 dB/cm for BCB-Au-BCB configuration [8] and propagation loss as low as 4.2 dB/cm combined with 98% excitation efficiency for polymer-Au-glass configuration [9].…”

“…Low propagation and coupling loss attainable with LR-SPPs stimulated experimental studies of LR-SPP-based integrated optics (IO), and different passive components including straight and bent waveguides, Y-splitters, multimode interference devices and directional couplers (DCs) were demonstrated [8,9]. As an alternative approach for making IO circuits, LR-SPP stripe waveguides have one unique feature -the possibility of using the same metalQThG1.pdf ©OSA 1-55752-834-9 stripe circuitry for both guiding optical radiation and transmitting electrical signals that control its propagation.…”