On-chip plasmonic waveguide optical waveplate.

Linfei Gao,James S Harris,Kai Zang,Yusi Chen,Yijie Huo,Seonghyun Paik,Zhiping Zhou

doi:10.1038/srep15794

Linfei Gao, James S Harris + Show 5 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.1038/srep15794

Copy DOI

Journal: Scientific Reports	Publication Date: Oct 28, 2015
Citations: 35	License type: CC BY 4.0

Affiliation: Peking University, Stanford University

Abstract

Polarization manipulation is essential in almost every photonic system ranging from telecommunications to bio-sensing to quantum information. This is traditionally achieved using bulk waveplates. With the developing trend of photonic systems towards integration and miniaturization, the need for an on-chip waveguide type waveplate becomes extremely urgent. However, this is very challenging using conventional dielectric waveguides, which usually require complex 3D geometries to alter the waveguide symmetry and are also difficult to create an arbitrary optical axis. Recently, a waveguide waveplate was realized using femtosecond laser writing, but the device length is in millimeter range. Here, for the first time we propose and experimentally demonstrate an ultracompact, on-chip waveplate using an asymmetric hybrid plasmonic waveguide to create an arbitrary optical axis. The device is only in several microns length and produced in a flexible integratable IC compatible format, thus opening up the potential for integration into a broad range of systems.

Highlights

Plasmonic quarter waveplate have been reported[29,30], but not in waveguide type configuration that could be incorporated into an integrated photonic circuit
For the first time, we propose and experimentally demonstrate the concept of an on-chip waveplate using an asymmetric hybrid plasmonic waveguide, to realize the full range of polarization states covering the entire Poincaré sphere
The structure is very simple and in a waveguide format that can be integrated into any photonic system wherever polarization rotation is needed

Summary

Introduction

Plasmonic quarter waveplate have been reported[29,30], but not in waveguide type configuration that could be incorporated into an integrated photonic circuit. For the first time, we propose and experimentally demonstrate the concept of an on-chip waveplate using an asymmetric hybrid plasmonic waveguide, to realize the full range of polarization states covering the entire Poincaré sphere. The structure is very simple and in a waveguide format that can be integrated into any photonic system wherever polarization rotation is needed. It shows an outstanding performance, for example the polarization conversion efficiency from TE to TM as high as 99.2%

Methods

Results

Conclusion