Robust plasmon waveguides in strongly interacting nanowire arrays

Area of Science:

• Photonics and Nanotechnology
• Plasmonics
• Optical Communications

Background:

• Plasmon interconnects are crucial for miniaturized optical circuits.
• Existing plasmonic guiding structures face limitations in integration and signal loss.
• Developing robust and versatile plasmonic platforms is essential for advanced optical devices.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate metallic nanowire arrays as a platform for plasmon interconnects.
• To demonstrate efficient light guiding with high-curvature turns and minimal signal loss.
• To provide design tools for highly integrated plasmonic circuits with reduced crosstalk.

Main Methods:

• Utilizing arrays of parallel silver nanowires (square and circular) in a silica host.
• Investigating the guiding mechanism based on gap plasmons between nanowire pairs and arrays.
• Evaluating performance using a figure of merit for integration degree.

Main Results:

• Demonstrated tunable, robust, and versatile plasmon interconnects using nanowire arrays.
• Achieved efficient guiding of gap plasmons with minimal signal loss, even at high curvatures.
• Showcased superior performance compared to previous schemes in terms of integration.
• Validated the design tools for achieving high integration and low crosstalk.

Conclusions:

• Metallic nanowire arrays provide an effective platform for plasmon interconnects.
• The proposed gap plasmon mechanism enables efficient light guiding in complex geometries.
• This work facilitates the development of highly integrated plasmonic devices, such as multiplexed biosensors.