Plasmonic routing in aperiodic graphene sheet arrays.

Area of Science:

• Condensed matter physics
• Nanophotonics
• Materials science

Background:

• Surface plasmon polaritons (SPPs) are electromagnetic waves coupled to electron oscillations at a material surface.
• Controlling SPP propagation at the deep-subwavelength scale is crucial for miniaturizing optical devices.
• Graphene's tunable electronic properties offer unique possibilities for manipulating SPPs.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate novel beam routing effects of SPPs in aperiodic graphene sheet arrays (a-GSAs).
• To demonstrate deep-subwavelength, low-loss, and diffraction-free SPP propagation and routing.
• To explore the generation of transverse radiation pressure using controlled SPP beams.

Main Methods:

• Fabrication of aperiodic graphene sheet arrays (a-GSAs) by tuning interlayer spacing or graphene chemical potentials.
• Fully vectorial electromagnetic simulations to model SPP propagation.
• Hamilton optics analysis to understand beam dynamics and wavefront behavior.

Main Results:

• Observation of deep-subwavelength, low-loss, and diffraction-free SPP beam routing in a-GSAs.
• Demonstration of SPP beam acceleration and deceleration within the a-GSAs, enabling path control.
• Confirmation of parallel wave fronts, leading to the generation of transverse radiation pressure.

Conclusions:

• Aperiodic graphene sheet arrays provide an effective platform for advanced SPP beam manipulation.
• The demonstrated effects pave the way for novel nanophotonic devices with unprecedented control over light propagation.
• This research offers a new paradigm for generating transverse radiation pressure via engineered SPP dynamics.