Abstract
Nanoplasmonic waveguides utilizing surface plasmon polaritons (SPPs) propagation have been investigated for more than 15 years and are now well understood. Many researchers make their efforts to find the best ways of using light and overcoming the speed limit of integrated circuits by means of SPPs. Here, we introduce the simulation results and fabrication technology of dielectric-metal-dielectric long-range nanoplasmonic waveguides, which consists of a multilayer stack based on ultrathin noble metals in between alumina thin films. Various waveguide topologies are simulated to optimize all the geometric and multilayer stack parameters. We demonstrate the calculated propagation length of Lprop = 0.27 mm at the 785 nm wavelength for the Al2O3/Ag/Al2O3 waveguides. In addition, we numerically show the possibility to eliminate signal cross-talks (less than 0.01%) between two crossed waveguides. One of the key technology issues of such waveguides’ nanofabrication is a dry, low-damage-etching of a multilayer stack with extremely sensitive ultrathin metals. In this paper, we propose the fabrication process flow, which provides both dry etching of Al2O3/Au(Ag)/Al2O3 waveguides nanostructures with high aspect ratios and non-damage ultrathin metal films patterning. We believe that the proposed design and fabrication process flow provides new opportunities in next-generation photonic interconnects, plasmonic nanocircuitry, quantum optics and biosensors.
Highlights
The semiconductor technology based on modern electronic integrated circuits is rapidly approaching their fundamental limits in terms of further transistors scaling and nanoscale elements’thermal budget
The two Al2 O3 layers’ thicknesses were optimized in order to maximize the long-range plasmonic mode propagation length while keeping a sufficiently large long-range mode effective index compared with the substrate refractive index
2O3/Ag(Au)/Al2O3 (75–12–240 nm) stack, we developed the process of 500 nm thick silicon oxide hard mask fabrication using standard plasma-enhanced chemical vapor account required over-etch) oxide hard usingWe standard plasma-enhanced deposition (PECVD), e-beam silicon litho and drymask etchfabrication process flow
Summary
The semiconductor technology based on modern electronic integrated circuits is rapidly approaching their fundamental limits in terms of further transistors scaling and nanoscale elements’thermal budget. The semiconductor technology based on modern electronic integrated circuits is rapidly approaching their fundamental limits in terms of further transistors scaling and nanoscale elements’. The electrical signal transmission rate between various elements limits the interconnects performance. One of the alternative technologies that could overcome the existing limitations and ensure further performance growth is optical interconnects (including plasmonic) [1]. The high optical frequency allows for dramatically increasing information transmission and processing. There are two main approaches to optical interconnects design for a system in housing: multiplexed interconnects (where different optical signals are transmitted at individual frequencies using one common optical waveguide [2]) and non-multiplexed interconnects (where signals from each source are transmitted via individual optical waveguides [3])
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
