Active control of surface plasmon polaritons with phase change materials

Active control of surface plasmon polaritons(SPPs)is highly desired for nanophotonics.Here we employ a phase change material Ge_(2)Sb_(2)Te_(5)(GST)to actively manipulate the propagating direction of SPPs at the telecom wavelength.By utilizing the phase transition-induced refractive index change of GST,coupled with interference effects,a nanoantenna pair containing GST is designed to realize switchable one-way launching of SPPs.Devices based on the nanoantenna pairs are proposed to manipulate SPPs,including the direction tuning of SPP beams,switchable SPP focusing,and switchable cosine–Gauss SPP beam generating.Our design can be employed in compact optical circuits and photonics integration.

Propagation of surface magnetoplasmon polaritons in a symmetric waveguide with two-dimensional electron gas

The properties of surface magnetoplasmon polaritons(SMPPs)in a symmetric structure,composed of two semi-infinite regions of high-density two-dimensional electron gas(2DEG)separated by a thin film in Voigt configuration,are investigated.The normal and absorption dispersion relations for the transverse magnetic polarization are derived by correlating Maxwell’s equation and the boundary conditions.It is demonstrated that the features of SMPPs are greatly influenced by the external magnetic field,collision frequency of 2DEG,the dielectric constant,and the thickness of the thin film,suggesting that the locations and propagation lengths of SMPPs can be governed accordingly.It is shown that the symmetry of the physical geometry preserves the symmetry of the dispersion relations of SMPPs.Furthermore,it is discovered that as the external magnetic field increases,the penetration depth of SMPPs decreases,while their energy loss reduces,implying that plasmons can propagate for longer distances.Additionally,it is observed that SMPPs in the symmetric configuration have a longer lifetime than those in the asymmetric configuration.

Giant and controllable Goos—Hänchen shift of a reflective beam off a hyperbolic metasurface of polar crystals

We conduct a theoretical analysis of the massive and tunable Goos–Hänchen(GH) shift on a polar crystal covered with periodical black phosphorus(BP)-patches in the THz range. The surface plasmon phonon polaritons(SPPPs), which are coupled by the surface phonon polaritons(SPh Ps) and surface plasmon polaritons(SPPs), can greatly increase GH shifts.Based on the in-plane anisotropy of BP, two typical metasurface models are designed and investigated. An enormous GH shift of about-7565.58 λ_(0) is achieved by adjusting the physical parameters of the BP-patches. In the designed metasurface structure, the maximum sensitivity accompanying large GH shifts can reach about 6.43 × 10^(8) λ_(0)/RIU, which is extremely sensitive to the size, carrier density, and layer number of BP. Compared with a traditional surface plasmon resonance sensor, the sensitivity is increased by at least two orders of magnitude. We believe that investigating metasurface-based SPPPs sensors could lead to high-sensitivity biochemical detection applications.

Coherent and tunable radiation with power enhancement from surface plasmon polaritons

Surface plasmon polaritons excited by an electron beam can be transformed into coherent and tunable light radiation waves with power enhancement in the simple structure of a metal film with a dielectric medium loading. In this paper, the process of the radiation transformation of this radiation, and the dependencies of the radiation characteristics on the parameters of the structure and the electron beam are studied in detail. The radiation power enhancement is greatly influenced by the beam energy and the film thickness in the infrared to ultraviolet frequency region. Up to 122 times radiation power enhancement and 6.5% radiation frequency tuning band can be obtained by optimizing the beam energy and the parameters of the film.

Surface plasmon polariton at the interface of dielectric and graphene medium using Kerr effect

We theoretically investigate the control of surface plasmon polariton（SPP） generated at the interface of dielectric and graphene medium under Kerr nonlinearity. The controlled Kerr nonlinear signal of probe light beam in a dielectric medium is used to generate SPPs at the interface of dielectric and graphene medium. The positive, negative absorption, and dispersion properties of SPPs are modified and controlled by the control and Kerr fields. A large amplification（negative absorption） is noted for SPPs under the Kerr nonlinearity. The normal/anomalous slope of dispersion and propagation length of SPPs is modified and controlled with Kerr nonlinearity. This leads to significant variation in slow and fast SPP propagation. The controlled slow and fast SPP propagation may predict significant applications in nano-photonics, optical tweezers, photovoltaic devices, plasmonster, and sensing technology.

Electromagnetic interaction between local surface plasmon polaritons and an atmospheric surface wave plasma jet

We analyze the electromagnetic interaction between local surface plasmon polaritons （SPPs） and an atmospheric surface wave plasma jet （ASWPJ） in combination with our designed discharge device. Before discharge, the excitation of the SPPs and the spatial distribution of the enhanced electric field are analyzed. During discharge, the critical breakdown electric field of the gases at atmospheric gas pressure and the surface wave of the SPPs converted into electron plasma waves at resonant points are studied. After discharge, the ionization development process of the ASWPJ is simulated using a two- dimensional fluid model. Our results suggest that the local enhanced electric field of SPPs is merely the precondition of gas breakdown, and the key mechanism in maintaining the discharge development of a low-power ASWPJ is the wave-mode conversion of the local enhanced electric field at the resonant point.

Long-range surface plasmon polaritons with subwavelength mode expansion in an asymmetrical system

Long-range surface plasmon polariton （LRSPP） modes in an asymmetrical system, in which the thin metal film is sandwiched between a semi-infinite substrate and a high permittivity polymer film with a finite thickness, are theoret~ ically calculated and analyzed. Due to the high permittivity of the polymer film, at proper polymer film thicknesses, the index-matching condition of the dielectrics at both sides of the metal can be satisfied for supporting LRSPP modes, and the electromagnetic field above the metal can be localized well. It is found that these LRSPP modes have both long propagation lengths and subwavelength mode expansion above the metal at the optimal polymer film thickncsses. Furthermore, the requirements on the refractive index and the thickness of the polymer film to support LRSPP modes at the optimal thicknesses are found to be not critical.

Two-color laser PEEM imaging of horizontal and vertical components of femtosecond surface plasmon polaritons

Explicit visualization of different components of surface plasmon polaritons(SPPs) propagating at dielectric/metal interfaces is crucial in offering chances for the detailed design and control of the functionalities of plasmonic nanodevices in the future. Here, we reported independent imaging of the vertical and horizontal components of SPPs launched from a rectangular trench in the gold film by a 400-nm laser-assisted near-infrared(NIR) femtosecond laser time-resolved photoemission electron microscopy(TR-PEEM). The experiments demonstrate that distinct imaging of different components of SPPs field can be easily achieved by introducing the 400-nm laser. It can circumvent the risk of sample damage and information loss of excited SPPs field that is generally confronted in the usual NIR laser TR-PEEM scheme. The underlying mechanism for realizing distinct imaging of different components of the SPPs field with two-color PEEM is revealed via measuring the double logarithmic dependence of photoemission yield with the 800-nm and 400-nm pulse powers of different polarizations. Moreover, it is found that the PEEM image quality of the vertical and horizontal components of the SPPs field is nearly independent of the 400-nm pulse polarization. These results pave a way for SPPs-based applications and offer a possible solution for drawing a space-time field of SPPs in three dimensions.

The surface plasmon polariton dispersion relations in a nonlinear-metal-nonlinear dielectric structure of arbitrary nonlinearity

The analytic surface plasmon polaritons （SPPs） dispersion relation is studied in a system consisting of a thin metallic film bounded by two sides media of nonlinear dielectric of arbitrary nonlinearity is studied by applying a generalised first integral approach. We consider both asymmetric and symmetric structures. Especially, in the symmetric system, two possible modes can exist： the odd mode and the even mode. The dispersion relations of the two modes are obtained. Due to the nonlinear dielectric, the magnitude of the electric field at the interface appears and alters the dispersion relations. The changes in SPPs dispersion relations depending on film thicknesses and nonlinearity are studied.

Mode splitting and multiple-wavelength managements of surface plasmon polaritons in coupled cavities

Resonance cavity is a basic element in optics,which has wide applications in optical devices.Coupled cavities(CCs)designed in metal-insulator-metal(MIM)bus waveguide are investigated through the finite difference time domain method and coupled-mode theory.In the CCs,the resonant modes of the surface plasmon polaritons(SPPs)split with the thickness decreasing of the middle baffle.Through the coupled-mode theory analysis,it is found that the phase differences introduced in opposite and positive couplings between two cavities lead to mode splitting.The resonant wavelength of positive coupling mode can be tuned in a large range(about 644 nm)through adjusting the coupling strength,which is quite different from the classical adjustment of the optical path in a single cavity.Based on the resonances of the CCs in the MIM waveguide,more compact devices can be designed to manipulate SPPs propagation.A device is designed to realize flexible multiple-wavelength SPPs routing.The coupling in CC structures can be applied to the design of easy-integrated laser cavities,filters,multiple-wavelength management devices in SPPs circuits,nanosensors,etc.

Character Diagnosis for Surface-Wave Plasmas Excited by Surface Plasmon Polaritons

The plasma parameters of planar-type surface-wave plasmas （SWPs） are diagnosed based on the resonant excitation of surface plasmon polaritons （SPPs）. The plasma parameter distributions are obtained by changing the discharge conditions of gas pressure and incident power. The measured experimental results show that the plasma near the heating layer is excited by surface waves of SPPs while the plasma located downstream originates from diffusion Moreover, the influence of high-frequency oscillations plays a significant role in producing the proposed SWPs with bi-Maxwellian electron energy distributions.

Spoof surface plasmon polaritons excited leaky-wave antenna with continuous scanning range from endfire to forward

A novel leaky-wave antenna(LWA)utilizing spoof surface plasmon polaritons(SSPPs)excitation is proposed with continuous scanning range from endfire to forward.The designed transmission line unit supports two SSPPS modes,of which the 2nd order mode is applied in the design.A novel strategy has been devised to excite the spatial radiation of the-1st order harmonics by arranging periodic counter changed sinusoidal structures on both sides of the SSPPs transmission line.Both full-wave simulation and measurement results show that the proposed LWA presents wide scanning angle from endfire to forward.In the frequency range from 4 GHz to 10 GHz,LWAs achieve scanning from 90°to+20°,covering the entire backward quadrant continuously.

Pulsed microwave-driven argon plasma jet with distinctive plume patterns resonantly excited by surface plasmon polaritons

Atmospheric lower-power pulsed microwave argon cold plasma jets are obtained by using coaxial transmission line resonators in ambient air.The plasma jet plumes are generated at the end of a metal wire placed in the middle of the dielectric tubes.The electromagnetic model analyses and simulation results suggest that the discharges are excited resonantly by the enhanced electric field of surface plasmon polaritons.Moreover,for conquering the defect of atmospheric argon filamentation discharges excited by 2.45-GHz of continued microwave,the distinctive patterns of the plasma jet plumes can be maintained by applying different gas flow rates of argon gas,frequencies of pulsed modulator,duty cycles of pulsed microwave,peak values of input microwave power,and even by using different materials of dielectric tubes.In addition,the emission spectrum,the plume temperature,and other plasma parameters are measured,which shows that the proposed pulsed microwave plasma jets can be adjusted for plasma biomedical applications.

Investigation on Surface Plasmon Polaritons and Localized Surface Plasmon Production Mechanism in Micro-Nano Structures

The simulation mechanism of surface plasmon polaritons(SPPs)and localized surface plasmon(LSP)in different structures was studied,including the Au reflection grating(Au grating),Au substrate with dielectric ribbons grating(Au substrate grating),and pure electric conductor(PEC)substrate with Au ribbons grating(Au ribbons grating).And the characteristics of the Smith-Purcell radiation in these structures were presented.Simulation results show that SPPs are excited on the bottom surface of Au substrate grating grooves and LSP is stimulated on the upper surface both of Au ribbons grating grooves and Au grating grooves.Owing to the irreconcilable contradiction between optimizing the grating diffraction radiation efficiency and optimizing the SPPs excitation efficiency in the Au substrate grating,only 40-times enhancement of the radiation intensity was obtained by excited SPPs.However,the LSP enhanced structure overcomes the above problem and gains much better radiation enhancement ability,with about 200-times enhancement obtained in the Au ribbons grating and more than 500-times enhancement obtained in the Au grating.The results presented here provide a way of developing miniature,integratable,tunable,high-power-density radiation sources from visible light to ultraviolet rays at room temperature.

Numerical investigation of the enhanced unidirectional surface plasmon polaritons generator

A unidirectional surface plasmon polaritons(SPPs) generator with greatly enhanced generation efficiency is proposed. The SPPs generator consists of an asymmetric single nanoslit coated with a polyviny alcohol(PVA) film and a silver rectangle block. The generation efficiency of this SPPs generator is investigated using the finite difference time domain method. Due to the presence of the silver rectangle block, the SPPs generation efficiency of the asymmetric single nanoslit with PVA film can be greatly enhanced and the corresponding wavelength with the maximum enhancement factor can be tuned flexibly. The influence of the structural parameters on the generation efficiency is also investigated for the enhanced unidirectional SPPs generator.

Surface plasmon polariton nanolasers:Coherent light sources for new applications

The invention of the Internet and mobile devices has caused tremendous changes in human lives over the past two decades. Information technology has broken through limitations of geospatial space, enabling extremely high-speed data transmission and new types of data services. In recent years, demands for data processing have shown an increasing trend. Furthermore, data generated from internet-related applications such as cloud services and self-driving technology are likely to grow exponentially over the coming years. Currently, data transmission inside integrated circuits mainly relies on metal wires. However, the substantial resistive–capacitive delay and energy loss that are caused by metal wires limit data transmission speeds. Optical interconnection has been regarded as a major solution to efficiently reduce energy consumption and increase data transmission speeds. The size of conventional semiconductor laser devices, which are the key component in optical interconnection, cannot be smaller than the wavelength of light, which is a fundamental physical obstacle to lasers integrating with current electronic integrated circuits in reasonable volumes. To realize optical interconnection, the volume of the laser device must match the existing electronic components. Recently, the use of diffraction-unlimited plasmonic lasers has been successfully demonstrated, and these have great potential in different applications. In this paper, we discuss the recent progress toward surface plasmon polariton lasers and provide practical insights into the challenges in realizing these novel devices.

High-confinement ultra-wideband bandpass filter using compact folded slotline spoof surface plasmon polaritons

A novel bandpass filter(BPF)based on spoof surface plasmon polaritons(SSPPs)using a compact folded slotline structure is proposed and experimentally demonstrated.The proposed novel SSPPs structure compared with a conventional plasmonic waveguide with slot line SSPPs unit structure at the same size,the considerable advantages in much lower asymptotic frequency with tight field confinement,which enable the proposed filter to be more miniaturization.A high-efficient mode conversion structure is designed to transition from TE-mode to SSPPs-mode by gradient slotline lengths.The low-frequency stop-band can be committed with microstrip to slotline evolution on both sides of the dielectric,while the high-frequency cutoff band is realized by the proposed SSPPs structure.The influence of dispersion relation,electric field distribution,surface current,and structural parameters on the transmission characteristics of the proposed BPF are analyzed by finite difference time domain(FDTD).To validate the design concept,the prototype of the miniaturized SSPPs BPF has been manufactured and measured.The experimental results show high performance of the fabricated sample,in which the working in a range of 0.9 GHz-5.2 GHz with the relative bandwidth is 142%,the insertion loss less than 0.5 dB,the reflection coefficient less than-10 dB,and the group delay is less than one ns.This works provides a mirror for realizing the miniaturization of waveguides,and the application and development of high-confinement SSPPs functional devices in the microwave and THz regimes.

Ultra-thin and light-weight spoof surface plasmon polariton coupler achieved by broadside coupled split ring resonators

Low profile and light weight are very important for practical applications of a spoof surface plasmon polariton（SSPP）coupler, especially at low frequencies. In this paper, we propose and design an ultra-thin, light-weight SSPP coupler based on broadside coupled split ring resonators（BC-SRRs）. The size of BC-SRR can be far less than λ/100 and can extremely well control the reflective phases within a subwavelength thickness. Due to the broadside capacitive coupling, the electrical size of BC-SRR is dramatically reduced to guarantee the ultra-thin thickness of the SSPP coupler. The weight of the SSPP coupler is reduced by a low occupation ratio of BC-SRR in the unit cell volume. As an example, a C-band SSPP coupler composed of phase gradient BC-SRRs is designed, fabricated, and measured. Due to the ultra-small size and low occupation ratio of BC-SRRs, the thickness of the coupler is λ/12 and the surface density is only 0.98 kg/m^2. Both simulation and experiment results verify that the coupler can achieve high-efficiency SPP coupling at 5.27 GHz under normal incidence.

Extending the Frequency Range of Surface Plasmon Polariton Mode with Meta-Material

The frequency range that surface plasmon polariton(SPP) mode exists is mainly limited by the metal material.With high permittivity dielectrics above metal surface, the SPP mode at high frequency has extremely large loss or can be cutoff, which limits the potential applications of SPP in the field of optical interconnection, active SPP devices and so on.To extend the frequency range of SPP mode, the surface mode guided by metal/dielectric multilayers meta-material has been studied based on the theory of electromagnetic field. It is demonstrated that surface mode not only could be supported by the meta-material but also extends the frequency to where conventional metal SPP cannot exist. Meanwhile, the characteristics of this surface mode, such as dispersion relation, frequency range, propagation loss and skin depth in metamaterial and dielectrics, are also studied. It is indicated that, by varying the structure parameters, the meta-material guided SPP mode presents its advantages and flexibility over traditional metal one.

Coupling interaction between a single emitter and the propagating surface plasmon polaritons in a graphene microribbon waveguide

The coupling interaction between an individual optical emitter and the propagating surface plasmon polaritons in a graphene microribbon （GMR） waveguide is investigated by numerical calculations, where the emitter is situated above the GMR or in the same plane of the GMR, The results reveal a multimode coupling mechanism for the strong interaction between the emitter and the propagating plasmonic waves in graphene. When the emitter is situated in the same plane of the GMR, the decay rate from the emitter to the surface plasmon polaritons increases more than 10 times compared with that in the case with the emitter above the GMR.