Surface Plasmon Polaritons Sources Research Articles

Controlling the directional excitation of surface plasmon polaritons using tunable non-Hermitian metasurfaces.

In this work, we propose an efficient approach to controlling the directional excitation of surface plasmon polaritons (SPPs) by dynamically modulating the real-part perturbation in a passive parity-time symmetric metasurface. This non-Hermitian system can experience two exceptional points that can induce two unidirectional excitation states of SPPs along opposite directions. Empowered by its superior modulation depth, the energy ratio and energy intensities of two excited SPP states can be effectively manipulated by this non-Hermitian metasurface. To demonstrate these findings, we design and numerically verify non-Hermitian metasurfaces integrated with an Sb2Se3 phase-change material. Our work provides a promising platform for the controllable engineering of SPP excitations, holding significant potential for the development of new plasmonic devices, including on-chip SPP sources, routers and sorters, and integrated optical circuits.

Coherence Between Different Propagating Surface Plasmon Polariton Modes Excited by Quantum Mechanical Tunnel Junctions

AbstractCoherence between different surface plasmon polariton (SPP) modes excited by inelastically tunneling electrons in biased metal–insulator–metal tunnel junctions (MIM‐TJs) is demonstrated. By employing a dedicated SPP stripe waveguide with MIM‐TJ, an effective double‐slit configuration similar to the Young's experiment is realized for an electrically biased SPP source. The spatial correlation between different SPP modes originates from a single inelastic tunneling event and leads to strong interference in the far‐field, observed as alternate bright and dark fringes in the Fourier plane. The measured fringe‐spacing inversely follows the stripe waveguide length, with upper limit dictated by the SPP propagation length, confirming the SPP mediated spatial correlation. Finite difference time domain simulations support the experimental findings. Also, the experimental and simulation results unambiguously demonstrate the two‐step plasmonic decay process in plasmonic MIM‐TJs. The results presented here provide a simple and robust demonstration of the inherent coherence existing between different decay channels (plasmons and photons) of the inelastically tunneling electrons and can be exploited for plasmonic applications with tailored spatial coherence with implications in plasmon amplification and quantum information processing.

CMOS-Compatible Electronic-Plasmonic Transducers Based on Plasmonic Tunnel Junctions and Schottky Diodes.

To develop methods to generate, manipulate, and detect plasmonic signals by electrical means with complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS)-compatible materials is essential to realize on-chip electronic-plasmonic transduction. Here, electrically driven, CMOS-compatible electronic-plasmonic transducers with Al-AlOX -Cu tunnel junctions as the excitation source of surface plasmon polaritons (SPPs) and Si-Cu Schottky diodes as the detector of SPPs, connected via plasmonic strip waveguides of Cu, are demonstrated. Remarkably, the electronic-plasmonic transducers exhibit overall transduction efficiency of 1.85 ± 0.03%,five times higher than previously reported transducers with two tunnel junctions (metal-insulator-metal (MIM)-MIM transducers) where SPPs are detected based on optical rectification. The result establishes a new platform to convert electronic signals to plasmonic signals via electrical means, paving the way toward CMOS-compatible plasmonic components.

Terahertz Spoof Surface Plasmonic Logic Gates.

SummaryLogic gates are important components in integrated photonic circuitry. Here, a series of logic gates to achieve fundamental logic operations based on linear interference in spoof surface plasmon polariton waveguides are demonstrated at terahertz frequencies. A metasurface-based plasmonic source is adopted to couple free-space terahertz radiation into surface waves, followed by a funnel-shaped metasurface to efficiently couple the surface waves to the waveguides built on a domino structure. A single Mach-Zehnder waveguide interferometer can work as logic gates for four logic functions: AND, NOT, OR, and XOR. By cascading two such interferometers, NAND and NOR operations can also be achieved. Experimental investigations are supported by numerical simulations, and good agreement is obtained. The logic gates have compact sizes and high intensity contrasts for the output “1” and “0” states. More complicated functions can be envisioned and will be of great value for future terahertz integrated computing.

Directional Excitation of Surface Plasmon Polaritons via Molecular Through-Bond Tunneling across Double-Barrier Tunnel Junctions.

Directional excitation of surface plasmon polaritons (SPPs) by electrical means is important for the integration of plasmonics with molecular electronics or steering signals toward other components. We report electrically driven SPP sources based on quantum mechanical tunneling across molecular double-barrier junctions, where the tunneling pathway is defined by the molecules' chemical structure as well as by their tilt angle with respect to the surface normal. Self-assembled monolayers of S(CH2)nBPh (BPh = biphenyl, n = 1-7) on Au, where the alkyl chain and the BPh units define two distinct tunnel barriers in series, were used to demonstrate and control the geometrical effects. The tilt angle of the BPh unit with respect to the surface normal depends on the value of n, and is 45° when n is even and 23° when n is odd. The tilt angle of the alkyl chain is fixed at 30° and independent of n. For values of n = 1-3, SPPs are directionally launched via directional tunneling through the BPh units. For values of n > 3, tunneling along the alkyl chain dominates the SPP excitation. Molecular level control of directionally launching SPPs is achieved without requiring additional on-chip optical elements, such as antennas, or external elements, such as light sources. Using the molecular tunneling junctions, we provide the first direct experimental demonstration of molecular double-barrier tunneling junctions.

Some Advances in Theory and Experiment of High-Frequency Vacuum Electron Devices in China

The advances of high-frequency vacuum electron devices (VEDs) in China are reviewed in this paper, including traveling-wave tubes (TWTs) based on novel slow-wave structures (SWSs), high harmonic TWT amplifier, gyrotrons, Smith-Purcell (SP) radiation sources, surface plasmon polaritons (SPPs) sources, and terahertz (THz) radiation sources in ion-focused beam-plasma system. As one of the most widely used VEDs, TWTs based on folded type SWSs, planar SWSs, and grating type SWSs are studied theoretically and experimentally from Ka-band to R-band. Using folded type SWSs, two TWT amplifiers are developed. As high-power millimeter wave and THz wave sources, gyrotron TWTs, gyrotron oscillators, and gyroklystrons are presented. Moreover, this paper shows SP radiation sources, SPPs sources, and THz radiation sources in ion-focused beam-plasma system open good prospects for developing high-frequency VEDs with new mechanisms, which undoubtedly brings about innovative changes for the development of VEDs.

Two-Dimensional Drexhage Experiment for Electric- and Magnetic-Dipole Sources on Plasmonic Interfaces.

Fifty years ago, Drexhage et al. showed how photon emission from an electric dipole can be modified by a nearby mirror. Here, we study the two-dimensional analog for surface plasmon polaritons (SPPs). We print Eu^{3+}-doped nanoparticles, which act as both electric- and magnetic-dipole sources of SPPs, near plasmonic reflectors on flat Ag films. We measure modified SPP radiation patterns and emission rates as a function of reflector distance and source symmetry. The results, which agree with an analytical self-interference model, provide simple strategies to control SPP radiation in plasmonic devices.

Controllable multiple plasmonic bending beams via polarization of incident waves.

Plasmonic bending beams, which preserve their spatial shapes while propagating along curved trajectories in metal-dielectric interface, offer important applications in the fields of fiber sensor, optical trapping, and micro-nano manipulation. In this work, circular hole array, as a local point-like sources of surface plasmon polaritons, is designed on the metal film to generate multiple plasmonic bending beams. The electric field intensity of multiple plasmonic bending beams is controlled by polarization angle of input light. In addition, the electric filed intensity of multiple plasmonic bending beams relies on circle hole radius. These findings provide guidance in the design and optimization of plasmonic bending beam generators.

Tunable unidirectional surface plasmon polariton coupler utilizing graphene-based asymmetric nanoantenna pairs

Surface plasmon polaritons (SPPs), the electromagnetic waves traveling along metal-dielectric or metal-air interface, which originate from the interactions between light and collective electron oscillations on metal surface, have received considerable attention for their promising applications in the future optical field, such as image, breaking diffraction limit, subwavelength-optics microscopy, lithography, etc. However, one of the fundamental issues in plasmonics is how to actively manipulate the propagation direction of SPPs. In this paper, we propose and numerically investigate a graphene-based unidirectional SPP coupler, which is composed of asymmetric plasmonic nanoantenna pairs with a graphene sheet separated by a SiO2 spacer from the gold substrate. The device geometry facilitates the simultaneous excitation of two localized surface plasmon resonances in the entire structure, and consequently, the asymmetric nanoantenna pairs can be considered as being composed of two oscillating magnetic dipoles or as two SPP sources. Because the resonance of the plasmonic antenna pairs depends on the bias voltage applied across graphene sheet and back-gated Au, the phase difference between radiated electromagnetic waves induced by the antenna can be tuned through varying the Fermi level of graphene. Here, approximately a n/2 phase difference between radiated electromagnetic (EM) waves can be acquired at EF 0.81 eV, which indicates that the radiated EM waves can interfere constructively along the direction of the x-axis while interfere destructively along the opposite direction. This directional propagation of EM wave leads to the unidirectional propagation of SPPs. Furthermore, electric field distribution of the cavity demonstrates that the tunability of plasmonic antenna is proportional to the electric field intensity in the vicinity of the graphene region. For our designed structure, the left cavity can provide a significantly larger tunable range than the right one. With this result, we can quantitatively analyze the tuning behavior of graphene-loaded plasmonic antenna based on equivalent circuit model, and draw the conclusions that the unidirectional SPP propagation effect originates from the interference mechanism. In addition, compared with the device reported previously, our proposed device possesses a huge extinction ratio (2600) and more broadband tunable wavelength range (6.3-7.5 m). In addition, it is possible to make up for the deficiencies of current nanofabrication technologies by utilizing its actively controlled capability. All the above results indicate that the proposed active device promises to realize a compactable, tunable, and broadband terahertz plasmonic light source. It will play an important role in future photonic integrations and optoelectronics.

Surface plasmon polariton beams from an electrically excited plasmonic crystal.

Surface plasmon polariton (SPP) beams with an in-plane angular spread of 8° are produced by electrically exciting a 2D plasmonic crystal using a scanning tunneling microscope (STM). The plasmonic crystal consists of a gold nanoparticle (NP) array on a thin gold film on a glass substrate and it is the inelastic tunnel electrons (IET) from the STM that provide a localized and spectrally broadband SPP source. Surface waves on the gold film are shown to be essential for the coupling of the local, electrical excitation to the extended NP array, thus leading to the creation of SPP beams. A simple model of the scattering of SPPs by the array is used to explain the origin and direction of the generated SPP beams under certain conditions. In order to take into account the broadband spectrum of the source, calculations realized using finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) methods are obtained, showing that bandgaps for SPP propagation exist for certain wavelengths and indicating how changing the pitch of the NP array may enhance the SPP beaming effect.

Controlling the state of polarization via optical nanoantenna feeding with surface plasmon polaritons

Optical nanoantennas, usually referring to metal structures with localized surface plasmon resonance, could efficiently convert confined optical energy to free-space light, and vice versa. But it is difficult to manipulate the confined visible light energy for its nanoscale spatial extent. Here, a simple method is proposed to solve this problem by controlling surface plasmon polaritons to indirectly manipulate the localized plasmons. As a proof of principle, we demonstrate an optical rotation device which is a grating with central circular polarization optical nanoantenna. It realized the arbitrary optical rotation of linear polarized light by controlling the retard of dual surface plasmon polaritons sources from both side grating structures. Furthermore, we use a two-parameter theoretical model to explain the experimental results.

Dual-Band Planar Plasmonic Unidirectional Launching in a Semiannular Apertures Array

Multiple-band, frequency-adjustable unidirectional launching of planar surface plasmons is of great concern in plasmonic devices and circuits. We have designed and demonstrated a novel dual-band planar unidirectional surface plasmon polaritons (SPPs) launcher with narrow bandwidth (∼5 nm) and large band gap (∼50 nm) using a semiannular apertures array milled in a gold film. Symmetry breaking of the semiannular aperture brings significant advantages for the unidirectional launching, based on the excited asymmetrically distributed cylindrical surface plasmon resonance modes. During the unidirectional launching, the individual semiannular apertures function as unidirectional quasi-point SPP sources, and the grating coherently stacking amplitude of unidirectional SPPs functions as an amplifier. By controlling the semiannular aperture size, we achieved large range modulations of wavelengths beyond 60 nm for both bands. This efficient unidirectional launching is experimentally demonstrated for 632 nm, showing g...

Electrical excitation of waveguided surface plasmons by a light-emitting tunneling optical gap antenna.

We introduce a new type of electroplasmonic interfacing component to electrically generate surface plasmons. Specifically, an electron-fed optical tunneling gap antenna is integrated on a plasmonic waveguiding platform. When electrical charges are injected in the tunneling barrier of the gap antenna, a broad-band radiation is emitted from the feed area by a process identified as a thermal emission of hot electrons. Part of the emitted photons couples to surface plasmon modes sustained by the waveguide geometry. The transducing optical antenna is thus acting as a localized electrical source of surface plasmon polaritons. The integration of electrically-activated optical antennas into a plasmonic architecture mitigates the need for complex coupling scheme and proposes a solution for realizing nanoscale units at the interface between nano-electronics and photonics.

Efficient unidirectional launching of surface plasmons by a cascade asymmetric-groove structure.

Increasing the unidirectional launching efficiency of surface plasmon polaritons (SPPs) is crucial in plasmonics. Here, we demonstrate that this efficiency may be improved by cascading subwavelength unidirectional SPP launching units. A unidirectional SPP launching efficiency of at least 46% and an extinction ratio of 40 are experimentally demonstrated using a cascade asymmetric-groove structure. Meanwhile, the device is ultracompact, and has a lateral dimension of only 1.1 μm. The proposed structure also presents a broadband response and is easy to fabricate. This high-performance wavelength-scale unidirectional SPP launcher represents an important development in practical SPP sources.

Local excitation of surface plasmon polaritons using nitrogen-vacancy centers.

Surface plasmon polaritons (SPPs) are locally excited at silver surfaces using (∼100) nanometer-sized nanodiamonds (NDs) with multiple nitrogen-vacancy (NV) centers (∼400). The fluorescences from an externally illuminated (at 532nm) ND and from nearby NDs, which are not illuminated but produce out-of-plane scattering of SPPs excited by the illuminated ND, exhibit distinctly different wavelength spectra, showing short-wavelength filtering due to the SPP propagation loss. The results indicate that NDs with multiple NV centers can be used as efficient subwavelength SPP sources in planar integrated plasmonics for various applications.

Scattering of electrically excited surface plasmon polaritons by gold nanoparticles studied by optical interferometry with a scanning tunneling microscope

We study the scattering of electrically excited surface plasmon polaritons (SPP) from individual nanostructures. The tunneling electrons from a scanning tunneling microscope (STM) are used to excite an out-going, circular SPP wave on a thin (50-nm) gold film on which isolated gold nanoparticles (NPs) have been deposited. Interaction of the excited SPPs with the NPs leads to both in-plane (SPP-to-SPP) and out-of-plane (SPP-to-photon) scattering. We use SPP leakage radiation microscopy to monitor the interference between the incident and in-plane scattered SPP waves in the image plane. By changing the location of the STM tip, the distance of the pointlike SPP source to the scatterers can be varied at will, which constitutes a key advantage over other existing techniques. As well, the out-of-plane scattered radiation interferes with the direct light emission from the STM tip in the back focal plane (Fourier plane). This confirms the mutual coherence of the light and SPP emission resulting from the inelastic tunneling of an electron in the STM junction. We use this effect to demonstrate that SPP-to-photon scattering at NPs is highly directional.

Polarization controlled coupling and shaping of surface plasmon polaritons by nanoantenna arrays.

We demonstrate experimentally the use of ordered arrays of nanoantennas for polarization controlled plasmonic beam shaping and excitation. Rod- and cross-shaped nanoantennas are used as local point-like sources of surface plasmon polaritons, and the desired phase of the generated plasmonic beam is set directly through their spatial arrangement. The polarization selectivity of the optical nanoantennas allows us to further control the excitation, enabling the realization of a variety of complex and functional plasmonic beam shaping elements. We demonstrate this concept by generating plasmonic self-accelerating beams, plasmonic bottle beams, and switchable dual-focii plasmonic lenses. The freedom in the design and arrangement of these nanoantennas enables us to specifically tailor and control the shapes, wavelengths, and coupling efficiencies of complex plasmonic beams.

Electrically-Excited Surface Plasmon Polaritons with Directionality Control

Compact electrical sources of surface plasmon polaritons (SPPs) are promising for integration with high-speed electronics. Being a highly compact source, the point dipole has the ability to directly couple to surface plasmon modes, and be electrically driven through the inelastic tunneling of electrons, for example, at the tip of a scanning tunneling microscope (STM). However, the directional control of electrically excited SPPs from such compact sources has not been demonstrated, despite its importance in controlling the optical energy flow on a chip. In this paper, we present a comprehensive analysis of the directional excitation of SPPs on Au 1D cavity by moving an STM tip relative to the edge of the cavity stripe and analyzing the light collected through an inverted microscope. The directional propagation of the SPP and its far-field emission exhibit a clear cyclic dependence on the relative distance from this edge. These results provide key steps toward realizing compact solid-state devices with the ...

Plasmonic leaky-mode lasing in active semiconductor nanowires

Leaky modes are below-cutoff waveguide modes that lose part of their energy to the continuum of radiation modes during propagation. In photonic nanowire lasers, leaky modes have to compete with almost lossless above-cutoff modes and are therefore usually prevented from crossing the lasing threshold. The situation is drastically different in plasmonic nanowire systems where the above-cutoff plasmonic modes are very lossy because of their strong confinement to the metal surface. Due to gain guiding, the threshold gain of the hybrid electric leaky mode does not increase strongly with reduced wire diameter and stays below that of all other modes, making it possible to observe leaky-mode lasing. Plasmonic ZnO nanowire lasers operating in the gain-guided regime could be used as coherent sources of surface plasmon polaritons at the nanoscale or as surface plasmon emitting diodes with an emission angle that depends on the nanowire diameter and the color of the surface plasmon polariton.

Enhanced optical transmission through a nano-slit based on a dipole source and an annular nano-cavity

Abstract A novel plasmonic structure, composed of a dipole source and an annular nano-cavity over a nano-slit, is proposed as a surface plasmon polaritons source to enhance the extraordinary optical transmission (EOT) simulated using a finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) method. We find that the annular nano-cavity has an obvious advantage to couple more energy from a dipole source compared with previous EOT configuration. Based on the fact of non-uniform electric field distribution of a dipole source, the transmission through nano-slit is effectively improved by selecting optimized structure parameters. In addition, the transmission spectrum can be well-tuned by adjusting the central angle of the annular nano-cavity, as such, the design holds great promise for its application in EOT-based optoelectronic devices.