Abstract
Vertical directional coupling between a metal-insulator-metal (MIM) plasmonic waveguide and a conventional dielectric waveguide is investigated. The coupling length, extinction ratio, insertion loss and coupling efficiency of the hybrid coupler are analyzed. As an example, when the separation between the two waveguides is 250 nm, a maximum coupling efficiency of 73%, an insertion loss of -1.4 dB and an extinction ratio of 16 dB can be achieved at a coupling length of 4.5 microm at 1.55 microm wavelength. A particular feature of this hybrid coupler is that it is highly tolerant to the structural parameters of the plasmonic waveguide and the misalignment between the two waveguides. The performance of this hybrid coupler as a TM polarizer is also analyzed and a maximum extinction ratio of 44 dB and an insertion loss of -0.18 dB can be obtained. The application of this hybrid coupler includes the signal routing between plasmonic waveguides and dielectric waveguides in photonic integrated circuits and the polarization control between TE and TM modes. In addition, it provides an approach for efficiently exciting MIM plasmonic modes with conventional dielectric modes.
Highlights
In recent years, there is a tremendous amount of research conducted on surface plasmon polaritons (SPPs)
We focus on the MIM slot waveguide, where the modal size is mainly decided by slot dimensions and can be squeezed significantly smaller than the diffraction limit [6, 7, 8]
We evaluate the performance of the hybrid coupler
Summary
There is a tremendous amount of research conducted on surface plasmon polaritons (SPPs). Conventional dielectric photonic devices exhibit low losses; they are limited in size by the diffraction limit to about half of light wavelength. There is no report concerning the directional coupling between MIM plasmonic waveguides and dielectric waveguides far. A distinguished feature of this hybrid coupler is that it exhibits high tolerance to structural parameters of the MIM plasmonic waveguide and the misalignment between the two waveguides.
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Disclaimer: 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.