Integrated plasmonic circuitry on a vertical-cavity surface-emitting semiconductor laser platform.

Cillian P T Mcpolin,Alexey V Krasavin,Sebastien Vilain,Brian Corbett,Anatoly V Zayats,John Justice,Gregory A Wurtz,Daniel O’Connor,Wayne Dickson,Jean-Sebastien Bouillard

doi:10.1038/ncomms12409

Abstract

Integrated plasmonic sources and detectors are imperative in the practical development of plasmonic circuitry for bio- and chemical sensing, nanoscale optical information processing, as well as transducers for high-density optical data storage. Here we show that vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers (VCSELs) can be employed as an on-chip, electrically pumped source or detector of plasmonic signals, when operated in forward or reverse bias, respectively. To this end, we experimentally demonstrate surface plasmon polariton excitation, waveguiding, frequency conversion and detection on a VCSEL-based plasmonic platform. The coupling efficiency of the VCSEL emission to waveguided surface plasmon polariton modes has been optimized using asymmetric plasmonic nanostructures. The plasmonic VCSEL platform validated here is a viable solution for practical realizations of plasmonic functionalities for various applications, such as those requiring sub-wavelength field confinement, refractive index sensitivity or optical near-field transduction with electrically driven sources, thus enabling the realization of on-chip optical communication and lab-on-a-chip devices.

Highlights

Integrated plasmonic sources and detectors are imperative in the practical development of plasmonic circuitry for bio- and chemical sensing, nanoscale optical information processing, as well as transducers for high-density optical data storage
The total power emitted into the far field from the plasmonic vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers (VCSELs) is B1/200 of the power emitted from the reference VCSELs, due to the presence of the metallic layers (Supplementary Fig. 1)
With regards to possible applications, plasmonic VCSELs provide an immediate opportunity for realizing on-chip sensing

Summary

Introduction

Integrated plasmonic sources and detectors are imperative in the practical development of plasmonic circuitry for bio- and chemical sensing, nanoscale optical information processing, as well as transducers for high-density optical data storage. We show that vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers (VCSELs) can be employed as an on-chip, electrically pumped source or detector of plasmonic signals, when operated in forward or reverse bias, respectively To this end, we experimentally demonstrate surface plasmon polariton excitation, waveguiding, frequency conversion and detection on a VCSEL-based plasmonic platform. In order to develop functional plasmonic circuitry, a set of components is required for the active control of signals, including SPP sources, detectors, switches and modulators that, when combined with passive waveguides, allow for the full manipulation of optical signals on the nanoscale[2] Due to their compatibility with Si and other dielectric photonic circuitry, passive plasmonic components, together with various switches and modulators, have recently experienced rapid progress. The plasmonic circuitry developed here facilitates high-integration of nanophotonic applications, presenting immediate opportunities for sensing, data storage and signal transmission

Methods

Results

Conclusion