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.-S., O'Connor, D. P., Krasavin, A. V., Dickson, W., Wurtz, G. A., & 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
• 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
• Contract Date: Nov 16, 2016