Plasmonic Media Research Articles

A Facile Strategy for All-Optical Controlling Platform by Using Plasmonic Perfect Absorbers

Dual-band light absorption with the maximal absorptivity up to 99.7% and the minimal spectral bandwidth down to 3 nm is obtained in the plasmonic absorbers consisting of triple-layer plasmonic crystal-nonlinear medium cavity-metal substrate structure, where the intercalated dielectric material is chosen to be a Kerr medium cavity. Efficient all-optical controlling with high spectral intensity change ratios and detecting signal-to-noise is achieved for the system after a slight increase of pumping intensity. These impressive results mainly result from the strong plasmonic resonant field confinement in the middle nonlinear Kerr medium cavity and the near-perfect relative intensity change response by the ultra-sharp anti-reflection spectrum. This work can lay a foundation for advanced all-optical devices by exploiting light perfect absorption behavior and resonant optical field enhancement.

Silicon plasmonics at midinfrared using silicon-insulator-silicon platform

We propose devices based on doped silicon. Doped silicon is designed to act as a plasmonic medium in the midinfrared (MIR) range. The surface plasmon frequency of the doped silicon can be tuned within the MIR range, which gives rise to useful properties in the material’s dispersion. We propose various plasmonic configurations that can be utilized for silicon on-chip applications in MIR. These devices have superior performance over conventional silicon devices and provide unique functionalities such as 90-sharp degree bends, T- and X-junction splitters, and stubs. These devices are CMOS-compatible and can be easily integrated with other electronic devices. In addition, the potential for biological and environmental sensing using doped silicon nanowires is demonstrated.

Thermoelectric detection and imaging of propagating grapheneplasmons.

Controlling, detecting and generating propagating plasmons by all-electrical means is at the heart of on-chip nano-optical processing. Graphene carries long-lived plasmons that are extremely confined and controllable by electrostatic fields; however, electrical detection of propagating plasmons in graphene has not yet been realized. Here, we present an all-graphene mid-infrared plasmon detector operating at room temperature, where a single graphene sheet serves simultaneously as the plasmonic medium and detector. Rather than achieving detection via added optoelectronic materials, as is typically done in other plasmonic systems, our device converts the natural decay product of the plasmon-electronic heat-directly into a voltage through the thermoelectric effect. We employ two local gates to fully tune the thermoelectric and plasmonic behaviour of the graphene. High-resolution real-space photocurrent maps are used to investigate the plasmon propagation and interference, decay, thermal diffusion, and thermoelectric generation.

Transient analysis of electromagnetic wave interactions on plasmonic nanostructures using a surface integral equation solver.

Transient electromagnetic interactions on plasmonic nanostructures are analyzed by solving the Poggio-Miller-Chan-Harrington-Wu-Tsai (PMCHWT) surface integral equation (SIE). Equivalent (unknown) electric and magnetic current densities, which are introduced on the surfaces of the nanostructures, are expanded using Rao-Wilton-Glisson and polynomial basis functions in space and time, respectively. Inserting this expansion into the PMCHWT-SIE and Galerkin testing the resulting equation at discrete times yield a system of equations that is solved for the current expansion coefficients by a marching on-in-time (MOT) scheme. The resulting MOT-PMCHWT-SIE solver calls for computation of additional convolutions between the temporal basis function and the plasmonic medium's permittivity and Green function. This computation is carried out with almost no additional cost and without changing the computational complexity of the solver. Time-domain samples of the permittivity and the Green function required by these convolutions are obtained from their frequency-domain samples using a fast relaxed vector fitting algorithm. Numerical results demonstrate the accuracy and applicability of the proposed MOT-PMCHWT solver.

Plane wave scattering from a plasmonic nanowire array spacer-separated from a plasmonic film

In this paper, we present a theoretical analysis of the electromagnetic response of a plasmonic nanowire–spacer–plasmonic film system. The analytical solution presented in this paper is a full-wave solution, which is used to compute the fields scattered by the plasmonic nanostructure system on illumination by a plane electromagnetic wave. The physical structure comprises of an array of plasmonic nanowires made of a plasmonic metal such as gold or silver placed over a plasmonic film of the same material and separated from it by a dielectric spacer such as silica or alumina. Such a nanostructure exhibits a spectrum that is extremely sensitive to various geometric and electromagnetic parameters such as spacer thickness and spacer refractive index, which makes it favourable for various sensing applications such as chemical and biological sensing, strain sensing, position sensing, vibration sensing, and thickness sensing. We report a comparison of our analytical solution with a numerical rigorous coupled wave analysis of the same structure with the plasmonic medium being treated as local in nature.

Fundamental Limitations to Plasmonic Hot-Carrier Solar Cells.

Detailed balance between photon-absorption and energy loss constrains the efficiency of conventional solar cells to the Shockley-Queisser limit. However, if solar illumination can be absorbed over a wide spectrum by plasmonic structures, and the generated hot-carriers can be collected before relaxation, the efficiency of solar cells may be greatly improved. In this work, we explore the opportunities and limitations for making plasmonic solar cells, here considering a design for hot-carrier solar cells in which a conventional semiconductor heterojunction is attached to a plasmonic medium such as arrays of gold nanoparticles. The underlying mechanisms and fundamental limitations of this cell are studied using a nonequilibrium Green's function method, and the numerical results indicate that this cell can significantly improve the absorption of solar radiation without reducing open-circuit voltage, as photons can be absorbed to produce mobile carriers in the semiconductor as long as they have energy larger than the Schottky barrier rather than above the bandgap. However, a significant fraction of the hot-carriers have energies below the Schottky barrier, which makes the cell suffer low internal quantum efficiency. Moreover, quantum efficiency is also limited by hot-carrier relaxation and metal-semiconductor coupling. The connection of these results to recent experiments is described, showing why plasmonic solar cells can have less than 1% efficiency.

Solutions of plasmonic structures using the multilevel fast multipole algorithm

We consider accurate full-wave solutions of plasmonic problems using the multilevel fast multipole algorithm (MLFMA). Metallic structures at optical frequencies are modeled by using the Lorentz-Drude model, formulated with surface integral equations, and analyzed iteratively via MLFMA. Among alternative choices, the electric and magnetic current combined-field integral equation (JMCFIE) and the combined tangential formulation (CTF), which are popular integral-equation formulations for penetrable objects, are discretized with the conventional Rao-Wilton-Glisson functions and used to model plasmonic structures. We discuss electromagnetic interactions in plasmonic media and show how far-field interactions may be omitted for improving the efficiency without sacrificing the accuracy of results. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J RF and Microwave CAE 26:335–341, 2016.

Nanoscale Surface Plasmon Polariton Disk Resonators, a Theoretical Analysis

We analyze whispering gallery-type disk resonators with radii down to 50 nm. Single interface waveguiding is accomplished by a plasmonic-dielectric interface operating near the surface plasmon polariton (SPP) resonance, employing a hypothetical material with lower loss than what is currently available in metals or negative permittivity media. The disk is immersed in a second dielectric, nonresonant to the plasmonic medium. Due to the high effective index of the disk mode and the concomitant low radiation losses, the quality (Q) values of the resonator are solely determined by material losses, in contrast to more conventional nanoscale resonators. We calculate the dependence of the effective indices of the guided mode, the Q values of absorption and radiation, and the Purcell factor on the deviation from the SPP resonance.

On the Surface Fields Excited by a Hertzian Dipole Over a Layered Halfspace: From Radio to Optical Wavelengths

The Sommerfeld halfspace problem is revisited allowing for multilayer and plasmonic media, with a focus on the surface field computation. Alternative field representations are discussed and an improved Sommerfeld–Norton groundwave formula is developed. The role of the Zenneck wave and surface plasmon polariton in the surface field and their relationship is elucidated. The theoretical development is illustrated and validated by representative numerical results.

The dynamic process and microscopic mechanism of extraordinary terahertz transmission through perforated superconducting films.

Superconductor is a compelling plasmonic medium at terahertz frequencies owing to its intrinsic low Ohmic loss and good tuning property. However, the microscopic physics of the interaction between terahertz wave and superconducting plasmonic structures is still unknown. In this paper, we conducted experiments of the enhanced terahertz transmission through a series of superconducting NbN subwavelength hole arrays, and employed microscopic hybrid wave model in theoretical analysis of the role of hybrid waves in the enhanced transmission. The theoretical calculation provided a good match of experimental data. In particular, we obtained the following results. When the width of the holes is far below wavelength, the enhanced transmission is mainly caused by localized resonance around individual holes. On the contrary, when the holes are large, hybrid waves scattered by the array of holes dominate the extraordinary transmission. The surface plasmon polaritions are proved to be launched on the surface of superconducting film and the excitation efficiency increases when the temperature approaches critical temperature and the working frequency goes near energy gap frequency. This work will enrich our knowledge on the microscopic physics of extraordinary optical transmission at terahertz frequencies and contribute to developing terahertz plasmonic devices.

Plane wave scattering from a plasmonic nanowire-film system with the inclusion of non-local effects.

In this paper we present a theoretical analysis of the electromagnetic response of a plasmonic nanowire-film system. The analytical solution accounts for both the dispersive as well as non-local nature of the plasmonic media. The physical structure comprises of a plasmonic nanowire made of a plasmonic metal such as gold or silver placed over a plasmonic film of the same material. Such a nanostructure exhibits a spectrum that is extremely sensitive to various geometric parameters such as spacer thickness and nanowire radius, which makes it favorable for various sensing applications. The non-locality of the plasmonic medium, which can be captured using the hydrodynamic model, significantly affects the resonant wavelength of this system for structures of small dimensions (~ less than 5 nm gap between the nanowire and the film). We present an analytical method that can be used to predict the effect of non-locality on the resonances of the system. To validate the analytical method, we also report a comparison of our analytical solution with a numerical Finite Difference Time Domain analysis (FDTD) of the same structure with the plasmonic medium being treated as local in nature.

Highly confined low-loss plasmons in graphene-boron nitride heterostructures.

Graphene plasmons were predicted to possess simultaneous ultrastrong field confinement and very low damping, enabling new classes of devices for deep-subwavelength metamaterials, single-photon nonlinearities, extraordinarily strong light-matter interactions and nano-optoelectronic switches. Although all of these great prospects require low damping, thus far strong plasmon damping has been observed, with both impurity scattering and many-body effects in graphene proposed as possible explanations. With the advent of van der Waals heterostructures, new methods have been developed to integrate graphene with other atomically flat materials. In this Article we exploit near-field microscopy to image propagating plasmons in high-quality graphene encapsulated between two films of hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN). We determine the dispersion and plasmon damping in real space. We find unprecedentedly low plasmon damping combined with strong field confinement and confirm the high uniformity of this plasmonic medium. The main damping channels are attributed to intrinsic thermal phonons in the graphene and dielectric losses in the h-BN. The observation and in-depth understanding of low plasmon damping is the key to the development of graphene nanophotonic and nano-optoelectronic devices.

Full-wave electromagentic analysis of a plasmonic nanoparticle separated from a plasmonic film by a thin spacer layer.

This paper presents a theoretical analysis of the electromagnetic response of a plasmonic nanoparticle-spacer-plasmonic film system. The physical system consists of a spherical nanoparticle of a plasmonic material such as gold or silver over a plasmonic metal film and separated from the same by a dielectric spacer material. This paper presents a complete analytical solution of the Maxwell's equations, to determine the optical fields near the gold nanoparticle. It was found that the electromagnetic fields in between the plasmonic nanoparticle and the plasmonic film are extremely sensitive to the spacing between the nanoparticle and the film. This could enable the use of such a system for various sensing applications. The non-local nature of the plasmonic medium was also included in our analysis and it's effect on the resonances of the system was studied. The analytical solution was compared with an independent numerical method, the Finite Difference Time Domain (FDTD) method, to demonstrate the accuracy of the solution.

Photonic crystals as topological high-Q resonators.

It is well known that defects, such as holes, inside an infinite photonic crystal can sustain localized resonant modes whose frequencies fall within a forbidden band. Here we prove that finite, defect-free photonic crystals behave as mirrorless resonant cavities for frequencies within but near the edges of an allowed band, regardless of the shape of their outer boundary. The resonant modes are extended, surface-avoiding (nearly-Dirichlet) states that may lie inside or outside the light cone. Independent of the dimensionality, quality factors and finesses are on the order of, respectively, (L/λ)3 and L/λ, where λ is the vacuum wavelength and L >> λ is a typical size of the crystal. Similar topological modes exist in conventional Fabry-Pérot resonators, and in plasmonic media at frequencies just above those at which the refractive index vanishes.

Electrically and Optically Tunable Plasmonic Guest–Host Liquid Crystals with Long-Range Ordered Nanoparticles

Practical guest-host devices in which dichroic dye molecules follow electrical switching of a liquid crystal host remain elusive for decades despite promising efficient displays and emergent applications such as smart windows. This is mainly because of poor stability, surface precipitation, and limited means for property engineering of the dyes. To overcome these challenges, we develop plasmonic metal nanoparticle analogues of dichroic guest-host liquid crystals. Nematic dispersions of aligned anisotropic gold nanoparticles are obtained by polymer passivation of their surfaces to impose weak tangential boundary conditions for orientation of anisotropic host molecules. Control of the ensuing surface interactions leads to long-range ordered colloidal dispersions, allowing for collective optical and electrical switching of rod- and platelet-like nanoparticles. This facile control of mesostructured plasmonic medium's optical properties in visible and infrared spectral ranges is of interest for many applications.

Spaser Made of Graphene and Carbon Nanotubes

Spaser is a nanoscale source of surface plasmons comprising a plasmonic resonator and gain medium to replenish energy losses. Here we propose a carbon-based spaser design in which a graphene nanoflake (GNF) resonator is coupled to a carbon nanotube (CNT) gain element. We theoretically demonstrate that the optically excited CNT can nonradiatively transfer its energy to the localized plasmon modes of the GNF because of the near-field interaction between the modes and the CNT excitons. By calculating the localized fields of the plasmon modes and the matrix elements of the plasmon-exciton interaction, we find the optimal geometric and material parameters of the spaser that yield the highest plasmon generation rate. The results obtained may prove useful in designing robust and ultracompact coherent sources of surface plasmons for plasmonic nanocircuits.

Induced transparency by coupling of Tamm and defect states in tunable terahertz plasmonic crystals

Photonic crystals and metamaterials have emerged as two classes of tailorable materials that enable the precise control of light. Plasmonic crystals, which can be thought of as photonic crystals fabricated from plasmonic materials, Bragg scatter incident electromagnetic waves from a repeated unit cell. However, plasmonic crystals, like metamaterials, are composed of subwavelength unit cells. Here, we study terahertz plasmonic crystals of several periods in a two-dimensional electron gas. This plasmonic medium is both extremely subwavelength (∼λ/100) and reconfigurable through the application of voltages to metal electrodes. Weakly localized crystal surface states known as Tamm states are observed. By introducing an independently controlled plasmonic defect that interacts with the Tamm states, we demonstrate a frequency-agile electromagnetically induced transparency phenomenon. The observed 50% in situ tuning of the plasmonic crystal band edges should be realizable in materials such as graphene to actively control plasmonic crystal dispersion in the infrared. Tamm states on subwavelength, reconfigurable plasmonic crystals are studied in the terahertz regime. By introducing an independently controlled plasmonic defect, an electromagnetically induced transparency phenomenon is revealed.

Complex reflection coefficients of p- and s-polarized light at the pseudo-Brewster angle of a dielectric–conductor interface

The complex Fresnel reflection coefficients r(p) and r(s) of p- and s-polarized light and their ratio ρ=r(p)/r(s) at the pseudo-Brewster angle (PBA) φ(pB) of a dielectric-conductor interface are evaluated for all possible values of the complex relative dielectric function ε=|ε|exp(-jθ)=ε(r)-jε(i), ε(i)>0 that share the same φ(pB). Complex-plane trajectories of r(p), r(s), and ρ at the PBA are presented at discrete values of φ(pB) from 5° to 85° in equal steps of 5° as θ is increased from 0° to 180°. It is shown that for φ(pB)>70° (high-reflectance metals in the IR) r(p) at the PBA is essentially pure negative imaginary and the reflection phase shift δ(p)=arg(r(p))≈-90°. In the domain of fractional optical constants (vacuum UV or light incidence from a high-refractive-index immersion medium) 0<φ(pB)<45° and r(p) is pure real negative (δ(p)=π) when θ=tan(-1)(√(cos(2φ(pB)))), and the corresponding locus of ε in the complex plane is obtained. In the limit of ε(i)=0, ε(r)<0 (interface between a dielectric and plasmonic medium) the total reflection phase shifts δ(p), δ(s), Δ=δ(p)-δ(s)=arg(ρ) are also determined as functions of φ(pB).

Fractional tunnelling resonance in plasmonic media.

Metals can transmit light by tunnelling when they possess skin-depth thickness. Tunnelling can be resonantly enhanced if resonators are added to each side of a metal film, such as additional dielectric layers or periodic structures on a metal surface. Here we show that, even with no additional resonators, tunnelling resonance can arise if the metal film is confined and fractionally thin. In a slit waveguide filled with a negative permittivity metallic slab of thickness L, resonance is shown to arise at fractional thicknesses (L = Const./m; m = 1,2,3,…) by the excitation of ‘vortex plasmons'. We experimentally demonstrate fractional tunnelling resonance and vortex plasmons using microwave and negative permittivity metamaterials. The measured spectral peaks of the fractional tunnelling resonance and modes of the vortex plasmons agree with theoretical predictions. Fractional tunnelling resonance and vortex plasmons open new perspectives in resonance physics and promise potential applications in nanotechnology.

Plasmonic cloaking for irregular objects with anisotropic scattering properties

Here we extend the plasmonic cloaking technique to irregularly shaped objects with anisotropic scattering response. The scattering-cancellation approach to cloaking [A. Alù and N. Engheta, Phys. Rev. E 72, 016623 (2005)] has been extensively applied in the past to symmetrical geometries and canonical shapes. However, recent papers have raised some doubts concerning the fact that its use may not be as effective when dealing with strongly anisotropic and noncanonical geometries. Our goal here is to extend the plasmonic cloaking technique to irregular obstacles and to show that proper cloak design may provide a significant and uniform scattering reduction, independent of angle of incidence, position, and polarization of the illumination. We investigate how the volumetric effect of scattering cancellation provided by plasmonic media may drastically suppress the scattering for these irregular geometries independent of the illumination angle, and we shed some light on the physical mechanisms and the design rules at the basis of this cloaking technique when applied to objects whose scattering properties are dependent upon polarization and angle of incidence.