Plasmonic planar lens based on stack of metal–insulator–metal waveguides with height tuning

We introduce a technique capable of focusing electromagnetic (EM) waves through plasmonic nanoslits symmetrically arranged along the indented semi-circular surface in silver background. The EM transports through the tuning slits in the form of surface plasmon polaritons (SPPs), and gets the required phase retardations to focus at the focal plane. Due to the subwavelength nature of planar metallic lens, we present the rigorous electromagnetic analysis by using two dimensional (2D) finite difference time domain (FDTD) method. These height-modulated slits with uniform width are demonstrated to have unique advantages in beam manipulation. In combination with previous studies, it is expected that our structure with small number of slits could lead to realization of optimum designs of plasmonic nano-lens.     

Beam bending through compound structure with two subwavelength metallic slits in each period

To provide a more practical, easy-to-implement method to achieve directional modulation with a plasmonic lens, beam manipulation method via compound metallic gratings with two subwavelength slits filled with different dielectrics inside each period is proposed and numerically investigated by finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) method. Compared with conventional metal-grating based structures, phase retardation is tuned by the Fabry-Pérot (FP) resonant condition and light bending is achieved by constructing a carefully designed, curved phase front for the plasmonic lenses. Our designs have advantages in ease of fabrication and capability to perform in the far field. With these advantages, the designs are expected to be valuable in applications such as plasmonic circuits and photonic communication.     

Subwavelength beam manipulation via multiple-metal slits coupled by disk-shaped nanocavity

A novel plasmonic structure consisting of three nano-scaled slits coupled by nano-disk-shaped nanocavities is pro- posed to produce subwavelength focusing and beam bending at optical frequencies. The incident light passes through the metal slits in the form of surface plasmon polaritons （SPPs） ,and then scatters into radiation fields. Numerical simulations using finite-difference time-domain （FDTD） method show that the transmitted fields through the design example can gener- ate light focusing and deflection by altering the refractive index of the coupled nanocavity. The simulation results indicate that the focal spot is beyond the diffraction limit. Light impinges on the surface at an angle to the optical axis will add an extra planar phase front that interferes with the asymmetric phase front of the plasmonic lens, leading to a larger bending angle off the axial direction. The advantages of the proposed plasmonic lens are smaller device size and ease of fabrication. Such geometries offer the potential to be controlled by using nano-positior!i0g systems for applications in dynamic beam shaping and scanning on the nanoscale.     

平面金属等离激元美特材料对光学Tamm态及相关激射行为的增强作用

本文对具有类EIR色散特性的平面金属等离激元美特材料(planar plasmonic metamaterials, PPM)对光学Tamm态及相关激射行为的增强作用进行了研究. 我们首先运用传输矩阵方法分析了利用PPM结构的色散来增强光学Tamm态对应模式电磁局域密度的可能性. 其次, 我们将具有类EIR特性的PPM与一维光子晶体(photonic crystal, PC)合在一起设计了一种平面等离激元美特材料-光子晶体(PPM-PC)异质结构. 研究发现, 通过在电磁局域密度最高的PPM结构中(或附近)加入增益介质, 可观察到比通常光学Tamm态更强的激射增强效应及更明显的单色性响应. 这些特性使得这种PPM-PC结构有望被应用于低阈值激光器、荧光增强等方面.     

Making structured metals transparent for ultrabroadband electromagnetic waves and acoustic waves

In this review, we present our recent work on making structured metals transparent for broadband electromagnetic waves and acoustic waves via excitation of surface waves. First, we theoretically show that one-dimensional metallic gratings can become transparent and completely antireflective for extremely broadband electromagnetic waves by relying on surface plasmons or spoof surface plasmons. Second, we experimentally demonstrate that metallic gratings with narrow slits are highly transparent for broadband terahertz waves at oblique incidence and high transmission efficiency is insensitive to the metal thickness. Further, we significantly develop oblique metal gratings transparent for broadband electromagnetic waves (including optical waves and terahertz ones) under normal incidence. In the third, we find the principles of broadband transparency for structured metals can be extended from one-dimensional metallic gratings to two-dimensional cases. Moreover, similar phenomena are found in sonic artificially metallic structures, which present the transparency for broadband acoustic waves. These investigations provide guidelines to develop many novel materials and devices, such as transparent conducting panels, antireflective solar cells, and other broadband metamaterials and stealth technologies.     

基于石墨烯加载的不对称纳米天线对的表面等离激元单向耦合器

本文设计并数值研究了一种石墨烯加载的不对称金属纳米天线对结构.利用石墨烯费米能级的动态调控特性,实现了电控表面等离激元的单向传输.类似于传统的三明治型纳米天线结构,设计的不对称金属纳米天线对结构可以等效为两个共振的磁偶极子,由于磁偶极子辐射电磁波的干涉,将导致单向传输效应.通过计算腔中的电场分布,发现石墨烯的调谐能力与石墨烯区域的电场强度成正比关系.以上现象都可以通过等效电路模型进行理论解释.此外,该结构具有小尺寸、高效率、宽带宽和易于光电集成等优点,在未来的光子集成与光电子学领域将具有重要的应用.     

Beam focusing from double subwavelength metallic slits filled with nonlinear material surrounded by dielectric surface gratings

Based on the radiation properties of surface plasmon polaritons (SPPs) can be controlled by adjusting the refractive indexes of dielectric materials in the metallic slits, a novel plasmonic focusing structure formed by two subwavelength metal apertures filled with Kerr nonlinear material surrounded by surface dielectric gratings is proposed and demonstrated numerically. Directions of radiation fields are determined by the phase difference of the surface waves at the exit interface and resonance property of each surface grating. Numerical simulations using two-dimensional (2D) Finite-Difference Time-Domain (FDTD) method verify that the deflection angle and focal length can be controlled easily by changing the intensity of incident light, dynamically tunable on-axis and off-axis focusing effects can be achieved.     

Beaming of light through depth-tuned plasmonic nanostructures

A nanostructure comprising dielectric/Ag interface with central slit surrounded by grooves is presented for beam focusing and collimating. Desired phase retardations of the beam emerging through slits are manipulated by tuning the depth of grooves. Numerical simulations are performed through a finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) algorithm. Results reveal the suitability of parabolic depth-tuned structure for enhanced transmission and beam collimation. Enhanced transmission and beam collimation are the result of transportation of electromagnetic energy in the form of surface plasmon polariton (SPP) waves.     

Generation and near-field imaging of Airy surface plasmons

We demonstrate experimentally the generation and near-field imaging of nondiffracting surface waves, plasmonic Airy beams, propagating on the surface of a gold metal film. The Airy plasmons are excited by an engineered nanoscale phase grating, and demonstrate significant beam bending over their propagation. We show that the observed Airy plasmons exhibit self-healing properties, suggesting novel applications in plasmonic circuitry and surface optical manipulation.     

Ultra-elongated depth of focus of plasmonic lenses with concentric elliptical slits under Gaussian beam illumination

In this paper, we discuss the influence of ratio of minor to major axis on the propagation property and focusing performance of a plasmonic lens with variant periodic concentric elliptical slits illuminating under a Gaussian beam. In order to analyse the influence theoretically, a finite-difference time-domain （FDTD） numerical algorithm is adopted for the computational numerical calculation and the design of the plasmonic structure. The structure is flanked with penetrated slits through a 200-nm metal film （Au） which is coated on a quartz substrate. Tunability of focusing capability of the plasmonic lenses is studied by tailoring the ratio. Our calculation results demonstrate that the ratio of the elliptical slits greatly affects the focusing capability of the lense. The plasmonic lenses with concentric elliptical slits illuminating under a Gaussian beam have ultra-elongated depth of focus. These results are very encouraging for the future study of the plasmonic lens-based applications.     

Dynamic generation of plasmonic Moiré fringes using phase-engineered optical vortex beam

Dynamic generation of plasmonic Moiré fringes using a phase engineered optical vortex (OV) beam is experimentally demonstrated. Owing to the unique helical phase carried by an OV beam, the initial phase of surface plasmon polaritons (SPPs) emanating from a metallic grating can be adjusted dynamically by changing the phase hologram displayed on a spatial light modulator. Plasmonic Moiré fringes are readily achieved by overlapping two SPP standing waves with certain angular misalignment, excited by the positive and negative topological charge components, respectively, of a cogwheel-like OV beam. The near-field scanning optical microscopy measurement result of SPP distributions has shown a good agreement with the numerical predictions.     

Surface plasmon mode steering and negative refraction

The propagation of surface plasmon beams through singly and doubly periodic metallic gratings is analyzed both in real and Fourier spaces. Large beam steering effects are experimentally revealed by probing the isofrequency surfaces (IFS) related to propagating plasmonic Bloch waves inside the gratings. In particular, negative refraction is demonstrated close to the Bragg condition. We analyze how the local structure of the IFS can amplify the sensitivity of surface plasmon-based sensors.     

介质填充型二次柱面等离激元透镜的亚波长聚焦

本文提出了一种亚波长聚焦的表面等离激元透镜,该透镜由二氧化硅填充金膜纳米狭缝阵列组成,金膜的出射表面为二次柱面.表面等离激元在狭缝入口处激发并沿狭缝传输,在狭缝出口转变为带有一定相位延迟的自由空间传播的光波.通过对透镜结构参数的控制,可以调节来自各狭缝的光波间的相对相位,使它们在设定的焦点处进行相长干涉,从而实现聚焦效果.本文用时域有限差分法数值计算了二次柱面等离激元透镜的聚焦特性.数值模拟结果表明,所设计的孔径为2μm的透镜,能够实现微米级焦距和焦深、且焦斑半高宽低至0.4倍波长的亚波长聚焦.该表面等离激元透镜结构简单紧凑、尺寸小,有利于光子器件的集成,在集成光学、光学微操纵、超分辩率成像、光存储、生化传感等相关领域有潜在的应用价值.     

Beam focusing through a tapered subwavelength aperture surrounded by dielectric surface gratings

A novel plasmonic nanolens formed by a tapered subwavelength metal slit surrounded by surface dielectric gratings is proposed and demonstrated numerically. By patterning surface corrugations on the output surface, the beam can be focused, by regulating the aperture, the focal length can be controlled effectively. Numerical simulations using Finite-Difference Time-Domain (FDTD) method coupled with anisotropic perfectly matched layer (APML) boundary conditions verify that the proposed metallic lens can focus the radiation on the scale of a wavelength below the substrate and the method is effective for the design of nano-optical devices such as optical microprobes.     

Electrical beam steering with metal-anisotropic-metal structure

In this numerical study, we present and demonstrate a compact, electrical plasmonic beam-steering device composed of anisotropic material. The splitting angle can be modulated by the external electric or magnetic field. The physical principle of this phenomenon is evaluated from the phase of surface plasmon polaritons and Fabry-Perot (F-P) resonance in slits. Our numerical simulations with finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) technique reveals that wide-angle (±27°) beam steering can be achieved. Moreover, the efficiency increases when increasing the steering angle. A special characteristic of the presented structure gives an opportunity to be used as an efficient element in a high integrated optical device for miniaturization and tuning purposes.     

Plasmonically enhanced optical transmission through a metalized nanostructured photonic crystal fiber taper

A subwavelength holey plasmonic structure was proposed by adiabatically tapering a photonic crystal fiber (PCF) and subsequently metalizing the cleaved end facet. By coupling a white light into the PCF side, we experimentally observed an enhanced optical transmission in the spectral domain through the plasmonic structure at the tapered end. We further showed numerically that the proposed device renders a focused directional beam, due to its Fresnel-zone-like configuration and the plasmonic lensing effects.     

Plasmonic nano‐slits assisted polarization selective detour phase meta‐hologram

Traditional detour‐phase hologram is a powerful optical device for manipulating phase and amplitude of light, but it is usually not sensitive to the polarization of light. By introducing the light‐metasurface interaction mechanism to the traditional detour phase hologram, we design a novel plasmonic nano‐slits assisted polarization selective detour phase meta‐hologram, which has attractive advantages of polarization multiplexing ability, broadband response, and ultra‐compact size. The meta‐hologram relies on the dislocations of plasmonic slits to achieve arbitrary phase distributions, showing strong polarization selectivity to incident light due to the plasmonic response of deep‐subwavelength slits. To verify its polarization sensitive and broadband responses, we experimentally demonstrate two holographic patterns of an optical vortex and an Airy beam at p‐ and s‐polarized light with wavelengths of 532nm, 633nm and 780nm, respectively. Furthermore, we realize an application example of the meta‐hologram as a polarization multiplexed photonic device for multi‐channel optical angular momentum (OAM) generation and detection. Such meta‐holograms could find widespread applications in photonics, such as chip‐level beam shaping and high‐capacity OAM communication.

     

Broadband transmission enhancement of acoustic waves through tapered metallic gratings

The phenomenon of the broadband transmission enhancement of acoustic waves is important for its prospective applications in various devices. To achieve broadband transmission enhancement of acoustic waves, we investigate the acoustic transmission in a metallic grating device with linearly tapered slits through eigen-mode matching theory (EMMT) and finite element (FE) simulation. The tapering provides a gradual filling fraction variation from the entrance to the exit of the slits, destroying the Fabry–Perot resonance and thus leading to broadband and wide-angle enhanced transmission in the audible regime. In addition, acoustic waves are strongly localized and enhanced at the slit exits, in contrast with straight slits.     

基于双粒子耦合的单层介质柱阵列对电磁波的调控

基于Mie散射理论和多重散射理论探讨了亚波长介质柱阵列对电磁波的调控. 研究结果表明: 当在全反射的单层介质柱阵列中引入一个空位缺陷时会产生12%的透射; 如果在入射一侧再引入一合适的介质柱时, 其透射率可增加至36%, 为空位缺陷时的3倍; 当在出射一侧对称位置处引入另一完全相同的介质柱时, 可以调制透射电磁波的模式, 虽然总的透射率没有增加,但向前散射的电磁波能量明显增强. 采用这种双粒子耦合体系, 在金属柱的表面等离激元共振频率附近也可以实现类似的效果. 这些体系结构简单、易于在实验上实现, 这对于太赫兹甚至光频段的光子集成线路中的元件设计和光束调控很有意义.     

FDTD analysis of infrared radiative properties of microscale structure aluminum surfaces

Metallic triangular grating structures have a wide range of applications. This study focuses on the radiative properties of triangular grating structures of aluminum in the mid-infrared wavelength to determine if we can tailor the infrared radiative properties by designing special geometrical details into triangular grating surfaces. Fabrication of triangular gratings within the range of micron scale is very difficult. Therefore, the influences of slight geometry modification, generated by fabrication errors, on radiative properties of triangular gratings are mainly investigated. The electromagnetic wave scattering from such surfaces is predicted by solving Maxwell's equations using the finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) method. The results show that the spectral reflectance varies with the dimensions of triangular gratings, which is due to the excitation of surface wave by confirmation of the EM fields. It is found that the spectral reflectance can also be reduced by increasing the height of slight geometry modification. The effect of oblique incident wave state is also investigated. An optical vortex is found due to the coupling of surface waves, the oblique incident wave and the scattering waves. This study helps to gain a better understanding of the radiative properties of metallic triangular gratings with slight geometry modification and will have an impact on triangular grating processing.