Universal switching of plasmonic signals using optical resonator modes

McPolin, Cillian PT; Olivier, Nicolas; Bouillard, Jean-Sebastien; O'Connor, Daniel Patrick; Krasavin, Alexey V.; Dickson, Wayne; Wurtz, Gregory A.; Zayats, Anatoly V.

Abstract

We propose and investigate, both experimentally and theoretically, a novel mechanism for switching and modulating plasmonic signals based on a Fano interference process, which arises from the coupling between a narrow-band optical Fabry-Pérot cavity and a surface plasmon polariton (SPP) source. The SPP wave emitted from the cavity is actively modulated in the vicinity of the cavity resonances by altering the cavity Q factor and/or resonant frequencies.We experimentally demonstrate dynamic SPP modulation cavity length and all-optically by harnessing the ultrafast nonlinearity of the Au mirrors that form the cavity. An electro-optical modulation scheme is also proposed and numerically illustrated. Dynamic operation of the switch via an ultrafast modulation electro-optical modulation methods.

Citation

McPolin, C. P., Olivier, N., Bouillard, J., O'Connor, D. P., Krasavin, A. V., Dickson, W., …Zayats, A. V. (2017). Universal switching of plasmonic signals using optical resonator modes. Light Science & Applications, 6(6), e16237. https://doi.org/10.1038/lsa.2016.237

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Sep 26, 2016
• Online Publication Date: Jun 2, 2017
• Publication Date: Jun 2, 2017
• Deposit Date: Nov 16, 2016
• Publicly Available Date: Jun 2, 2017
• Journal: Light, science & applications
• Print ISSN: 2047-7538
• Electronic ISSN: 2047-7538
• Publisher: Nature Publishing Group
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 6
• Issue: 6
• Article Number: ARTN e16237
• Pages: e16237
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/lsa.2016.237
• Keywords: Ultrafast switching; Plasmonics; Optical signal processing; Fano resonances
• Public URL: https://hull-repository.worktribe.com/output/445111
• Publisher URL: https://www.nature.com/lsa/journal/v6/n6/full/lsa2016237a.html
• Additional Information: Copy of article first published in:: Light, science & applications, v.6, . Article no. e16237