Tunable Ultrafast Optical Switching via Waveguided Gold Nanowires

Zhang, Xinping; Sun, Baoquan; Hodgkiss, Justin M.; Friend, Richard H.

doi:10.1002/adma.200801162

Cited by 99 publications

(99 citation statements)

References 19 publications

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“…23 For single small metal nanoparticles, ultrafast heating, and coherent vibrations of the metal particle give rise to broadening and a spectral shift of its plasmon resonances. [24][25][26] These effects are however not large enough for full optical control at the single-particle level for practical pump powers.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…17,18 Alloptical control over plasmons in the optical range has recently been demonstrated using planar metal films, 20,21 hole arrays, 22 and waveguided gold gratings. 23 For single small metal nanoparticles, ultrafast heating, and coherent vibrations of the metal particle give rise to broadening and a spectral shift of its plasmon resonances. [24][25][26] These effects are however not large enough for full optical control at the single-particle level for practical pump powers.…”

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confidence: 99%

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Photoconductively Loaded Plasmonic Nanoantenna as Building Block for Ultracompact Optical Switches

et al. 2010

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We propose and explore theoretically a new concept of ultrafast optical switches based on nonlinear plasmonic nanoantennas. The antenna nanoswitch operates on the transition from the capacitive to conductive coupling regimes between two closely spaced metal nanorods. By filling the antenna gap with amorphous silicon, progressive antenna-gap loading is achieved due to variations in the free-carrier density in the semiconductor. Strong modification of the antenna response is observed both in the far-field response and in the local near-field intensity. The large modulation depth, low switching threshold, and potentially ultrafast time response of antenna switches holds promise for applications ranging from integrated nanophotonic circuits to quantum information devices.KEYWORDS Plasmonics, nanoantennas, nanoparticles, ultrafast switches P lasmonics has emerged recently as an extremely promising technological research area, owing to rapid advances in nanofabrication and modeling.1-3 Miniaturized nanoplasmonic devices hold the potential to become one of the key nanotechnologies capable of combining electric and photonic components on the same chip.2 Of special interest for nanoscale control over light are metal nanoantennas, capable of concentrating optical fields into a subwavelength volume. [4][5][6][7] Analogous to their radiowave counterparts, nanoantennas support standing-wave electromagnetic resonances at visible and infrared wavelengths. Nanoantennas of various geometries have been applied successfully in nonlinear optics, 4,5,8,9 nanoscale photodetectors, 10 fluorescence enhancement, 11-14 high-harmonic generation, 15 and single-molecule detection. 16Active control over subwavelength optical fields is of importance for optical communication, sensing, and quantum information technology. In the terahertz range, the conductivity of semiconductors has been used recently to control the transport of terahertz waves using coupling to plasmonic modes on surfaces and nanostructures.17,18 Alloptical control over plasmons in the optical range has recently been demonstrated using planar metal films, 20,21 hole arrays, 22 and waveguided gold gratings. 23 For single small metal nanoparticles, ultrafast heating, and coherent vibrations of the metal particle give rise to broadening and a spectral shift of its plasmon resonances. [24][25][26] These effects are however not large enough for full optical control at the single-particle level for practical pump powers. In this communication, we explore the functionality of plasmonic nanoantennas as novel building blocks for ultracompact nonlinear photonic devices. We propose that the small footprint, large light-matter interaction strength, and fast dynamics of single plasmonic nanoantennas can be used to design a new type of optical switch for controlling both the far-field and near-field distribution of light. Tunability of the antenna by impedance loading of its nanogap using a dielectric medium has recently been described theoretically 27 and experimentally. 28 In th...

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Photoconductively Loaded Plasmonic Nanoantenna as Building Block for Ultracompact Optical Switches

et al. 2010

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“…The light was polarized parallel and perpendicular to the gold nanowires for TE and TM polarizations, respectively. As has been investigated extensively, waveguide resonance mode will be observed for TE polarization, which exhibits narrow-band peak features in optical extinction spectra [1,15]. However, Fano coupling between plasmonic and waveguide resonance modes can be observed for TM polarization, as shown in Figure 1c, where enhanced transmission or narrow-band dips in the optical extinction spectrum can be observed.…”

Section: Fabrication and Characterization Of The Plasmonic Gold Nanowmentioning

confidence: 88%

“…However, Fano coupling between plasmonic and waveguide resonance modes can be observed for TM polarization, as shown in Figure 1c, where enhanced transmission or narrow-band dips in the optical extinction spectrum can be observed. This Fano coupling feature provides amplification mechanisms for the optical switching process, as has been addressed in our previous publication [1,14]. Figure 1b,c shows the optical extinction spectra measured on the gold-nanowire grating with the incident angle changed from 0 to 16 degrees for transverse electric (TE) and transverse magnetic (TM) polarizations.…”

Section: Fabrication and Characterization Of The Plasmonic Gold Nanowmentioning

confidence: 98%

“…Plasmonic optical switching effects have been reported on extensively, and are based on the spectral shift of the localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) of the metallic nanostructures [1][2][3][4]. Modification on the electron-electron and electron-phonon scattering processes by the intensive ultrashort laser pulses has been the main physical mechanism [5][6][7].…”

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Ultrafast Optical Heating Induced Polarization-Dependent Optical Switching in Gold Nanowires

Wang¹,

Fang²

2017

Applied Sciences

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Excitation using femtosecond laser pulses induced ultrafast heating of discontinuous gold nanowires, resulting in transient thermal expansion of the gold nanostructures that constitute the nanowires. The cross-plasmon resulting from the closely arranged gold nanostructures along the nanowires was modified by the change in the small gaps due to the thermal effect. This led to the spectral shift of the cross-plasmon resonance and laid the photophysical basis for the optical switching. A femtosecond pump-probe scheme was used to investigate the ultrafast optical switching dynamics. The most efficient optical switching effect was observed when the pump and probe laser pulses were polarized perpendicular and parallel to the discontinuous gold nanowires, respectively.

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Low‐Power and High‐Contrast Nanoscale All‐Optical Diodes Via Nanocomposite Photonic Crystal Microcavities

Zhang

et al. 2011

Adv Funct Materials

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A novel nanoscale integrated all-optical diode is reported, realized by combining the strong plasmonic responses of gold nanoparticles with the all-optical tunable properties of polymeric photonic crystal microcavities. Non-reciprocal transmission properties are achieved based on the effect of surface-plasmon resonance enhancing the optical non-linearity and dynamic coupling of asymmetrical microcavity modes. An ultralow-threshold photon intensity of 2.1 MW cm − 2 and an ultrahigh transmission contrast over 10 4 are realized simultaneously. Compared with previously reported all-optical diodes, the operating power is reduced by fi ve orders of magnitude, while the transmission contrast is enlarged by three orders of magnitude.

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Tunable Ultrafast Optical Switching via Waveguided Gold Nanowires

Cited by 99 publications

References 19 publications

Photoconductively Loaded Plasmonic Nanoantenna as Building Block for Ultracompact Optical Switches

Photoconductively Loaded Plasmonic Nanoantenna as Building Block for Ultracompact Optical Switches

Ultrafast Optical Heating Induced Polarization-Dependent Optical Switching in Gold Nanowires

Low‐Power and High‐Contrast Nanoscale All‐Optical Diodes Via Nanocomposite Photonic Crystal Microcavities

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