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Multilevel dynamic control of surface plasmon propagation direction using phase-change materials.
Xianghua Liu1,2, Ruxue Wang1,2, Ruotian Lu1,2
1National Key Laboratory of Materials for Integrated Circuits, Shanghai Institute of Microsystem and Information Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 865 Changning Road, Shanghai 200050, China. snow321@mail.sim.ac.cn.
Nanoscale
|February 24, 2026
Summary
Researchers developed a new method to control surface plasmon generation using phase-change materials. This enables faster, smaller optical switches and modulators for advanced AI data transmission.
Area of Science:
- Photonics
- Materials Science
- Nanotechnology
Background:
- The demand for AI-driven data transmission requires smaller optical devices.
- Surface plasmons offer nanoscale light manipulation, overcoming diffraction limits for integrated photonic chips.
Purpose of the Study:
- To demonstrate active manipulation of plasmon generation using phase-change materials.
- To enable tunable directional excitation of surface plasmon polaritons (SPPs).
Main Methods:
- Integration of asymmetric nanogrooves with the phase-change material Ge2Sb2Te5.
- Exploitation of the amorphous and crystalline phases of Ge2Sb2Te5 for optical property modulation.
- Demonstration of active multilevel control of SPP launching.
Main Results:
- Tunable directional excitation of SPPs achieved through phase transition.
- High extinction ratio (ER) contrast of 15 dB demonstrated.
- Nanosecond switching with high modulation efficiency (up to 96.8%) achieved for both one-way and two-way operation.
Conclusions:
- The developed approach enables active multilevel control of SPP launching.
- This method paves the way for ultra-compact plasmonic devices like modulators and optical switches.
- Advancement in miniaturization of photonic components for high-density integrated photonic chips.
