All-dielectric bowtie waveguide with deep subwavelength mode confinement

Plasmonic waveguides and conventional dielectric waveguides have favorable characteristics in photonic integrated circuits. Typically, plasmonic waveguides can provide subwavelength mode confinement, as shown by their small mode area, whereas conventional dielectric waveguides guide light with low loss, as shown by their long propagation length. However, the simultaneous achievement of subwavelength mode confinement and low-loss propagation remains limited. In this paper, we propose a novel design of an alldielectric bowtie waveguide, which simultaneously exhibits both subwavelength mode confinement and theoretically lossless propagation. Contrary to traditional dielectric waveguides, where the guidance of light is based on total internal reflection, the principle of the all-dielectric bowtie waveguide is based on the combined use of the conservation of the normal component of the electric displacement and the tangential component of the electric field, such that it can achieve a mode area comparable to its plasmonic counterparts. The mode distribution in the all-dielectric bowtie waveguide can be precisely controlled by manipulating the geometric design. Our work shows that it is possible to achieve extreme light confinement by using dielectric instead of lossy metals.     

基于耦合介质纳米线的深亚波长局域波导

提出了一种基于耦合介质纳米线的深亚波长局域波导,通过两根紧邻的高折射率介质纳米线的耦合,该波导可以将光场有效束缚在纳米线之间的低折射率纳米缝隙中. 计算模拟的结果表明,该波导的有效模场面积达到Λ²₀/200,比单根纳米线波导小一个数量级,这种深亚波长的模场束缚能力可以与表面等离激元混合波导相比拟. 计算模拟的结果还表明,纳米线可能带有的低折射率氧化膜、低折射率衬底的存在、以及纳米线间尺寸存在的一定差异对于该波导结构的实际应用都不会产生很大 关键词： 介质波导 亚波长局域 表面等离激元波导 纳米线     

紫外表面等离激元在基于氧化锌纳米线的半导体-绝缘介质-金属结构中的输运特性研究

研究了紫外表面等离激元在半导体纳米线-绝缘介质-金属构成的波导结构中的输运问题,借助有限元方法,对这种波导所支持导模的电磁能分布、有效折射率、传播长度和有效模场面积随电磁参数和几何结构参数的依赖关系进行了分析.计算结果表明:以氧化锌纳米线作为增益介质,绝缘材料选择折射率小的空气,金属选择铝能够实现对输出光场的亚波长约束,有效模场面积达到λ2/100,同时保持低的传输损耗和高场强限制能力;有望用作纳米光源,使得相关的生物探测器件和医疗诊断设备实现更高的灵敏度和更小的体积.     

Two-dimensional light confinement in cross-index-modulation plasmonic waveguides

We report a numerical study of plasmonic waveguides that localize light in two dimensions at a cross section of 4.2 nm × 2.1 nm with the propagation length of 38 μm. By varying the geometrical parameters, strong mode confinements (range from λ(2)/3352 to λ(2)/2557525) are achieved with controllable propagation distance (44.68-40.988 μm), and mode size below 1 nm(2) has been demonstrated for the first time. Furthermore, a cross-index-modulation mechanism is proposed to explain the strong field localization behavior, providing guidelines for future waveguide designs.     

Efficient second-harmonic generation in nonlinear plasmonic waveguide

We theoretically studied a nonlinear optical process in a hybrid plasmonic waveguide composed of a nonlinear dielectric waveguide and a metal film with a separation of a thin air gap. Owing to the hybridization effect of guided mode and surface plasmon polariton mode, this particular waveguide is able to confine the optical-field in a deep subwavelength scale together with low propagation loss. Based on this, efficient second-harmonic generations (SHG) were revealed at the fundamental wavelength of λ=1.55?μm with good field confinement. The SHG efficiency, as well as the coupling coefficient and mode area, were analyzed and discussed in detail with respect to the structural parameters.     

Hybrid plasmonic waveguide with gain medium for lossless propagation with nanoscale confinement

In this Letter, we propose a hybrid plasmonic nanosystem consisting of a silver cladding layer with a semicylinder bump on top of InGaAsP nanowire. Because of the coupling between the dielectric waveguide mode and surface plasmon polariton mode, the hybrid plasmonic mode can exhibit low loss with strong field localization. The finite element method numerical simulations are employed to evaluate the performances of the hybrid mode. In order to achieve the lossless propagation of the hybrid mode with the mode area of 0.0058(λ2/4) at 1.55 μm, the material gain of 200 nm × 300 nm InGaAsP nanowire should reach 1223 cm?1.     

Plasmonically induced reflection in metal-insulator-metal waveguides with two silver baffles coupled square ring resonator

A plasmonic waveguide coupled system that is composed of a square ring cavity and a metal–insulator–metal(MIM)waveguide with two silver baffles is proposed. The transmission and reflection properties of the proposed plasmonic system are investigated numerically using the finite element method. The normalized H_z field distributions are calculated to analyze the transmission mode in the plasmonic system. The extreme destructive interference between light mode and dark mode causes plasmonically induced reflection(PIR) window in the transmission spectrum. The PIR window is fitted using the coupled mode theory. The analytical result agrees with the simulation result approximately. In addition, the PIR window can be controlled by adjusting structural parameters and filling different dielectric into the MIM waveguide and the square ring cavity. The results provide a new approach to designing plasmonic devices.     

Terahertz multi-metal-wire hybrid-cladding hollow waveguide for refractive index sensing

We propose a design of terahertz refractive index sensing based on the multi-metal-wire(MMW) hybrid-cladding hollow waveguide. The proposed terahertz hybrid-cladding hollow waveguide comprises one air core in the center surrounding MMW surrounded dielectric. The central air core is used for filling lossless measurands and transmitting terahertz light. In particular, the refractive index sensing is realized by measuring the mode field area(MFA) variation of radially polarized mode. The modal effective refractive index, mode field intensity distribution, and mode field area properties responding to the measurand refractive indexes for different operating frequencies and structure dimensions are investigated, respectively.Simulations show that the proposed terahertz refractive index sensor can realize easily the measurement of the measurand refractive index. Meanwhile, the effects of operating frequency and structure parameters on sensitivity and measurement accuracy are also studied. In view of the trade-off between sensitivity and measurement accuracy, the reasonable choice of the operating frequency and structure parameters can optimize appropriately the sensitivity and measurement accuracy, and the sensitivity can reach approximately 0.585 mm~2/RIU(RIU is short for refraction index units) with the proper frequency and structure parameter.     

Experimental study of air-core dielectric tube at terahertz frequencies

In this paper, an experimental study of air-core dielectric tube waveguide is proposed at terahertz frequencies. By using the THz time domain measure system, the terahertz dispersion characteristics, loss characteristic and energy focusing characteristic of air-core single-layer and dual-layer dielectric tube are obtained. The results show that this type of air-core dielectric tube can realize low dispersion characteristics. Due to the difference of refractive index between two dielectric materials, stronger energy focusing can be achieved in air-core dual-layer dielectric tube. After the coupling of the THz pulse using the dual-layer dielectric tube waveguide, the THz pulse increased 2.4 times compared with the single-layer dielectric tube waveguide at 1.5 THz.     

Light propagation in nonuniform plasmonic subwavelength waveguide arrays

We study light propagation in nanoscale periodic structures composed of dielectric and metal in the visible range. We demonstrate that diffraction curves of nonuniform waveguide arrays can be tailored by varying the geometric and dielectric features of the waveguides. The results obtained from a proper formulation of coupled mode theory for nonuniform arrays are validated through numerical solution of Maxwell equations in frequency domain.     

Tunable optical switch based on two orthogonal line defect waveguides

The transmission characteristics of a 2-dimensional (2D) square lattice photonic crystal waveguide (PCW) with an additional perpendicular line defect are investigated by the plane wave expansion method (PWM) and the finite difference time domain (FDTD) method. From simulation results and theoretical analysis, it is found that changing the refractive index of the dielectric columns in the additional line defect can effectively adjust the light transmission through the PCW. The working mechanism can be boiled down to either the excitation of a single defect mode or the contra-directional coupling of the two defect modes. And this mechanism can be used to design other tunable optical devices.     

涂覆双层石墨烯的介质纳米线表面等离子体光波导的模式特性研究

设计了一种由涂覆双层石墨烯的圆形介质纳米线组成的表面等离子体光波导。利用有限元法(FEM),数值分析了纳米线半径、介质夹层厚度、石墨烯化学势以及工作频率对波导所支持的电磁场模式的有效折射率、传播长度、归一化模式面积以及品质因数等模式特性的影响。结果表明,这种新型的混合表面等离子体光波导具有很强的模式束缚能力,归一化模式面积非常小,可以实现极高密度的器件集成,并且传输损耗较低。     

Coupling external cavity mid-IR quantum cascade lasers with low loss hollow metallic/dielectric waveguides

We report on the optical coupling between hollow core waveguides and external cavity mid-IR quantum cascade lasers (QCLs). Waveguides with 1000???m bore size and lengths ranging from 2 to 14?cm, with metallic (Ag)/dielectric (AgI or polystyrene) circular cross-section internal coatings, have been employed. Our results show that the QCL mode is perfectly matched to the hybrid HE₁₁ waveguide mode, demonstrating that the internal dielectric coating thickness is effective to suppress the higher losses TE-like modes. Optical losses down to 0.44?dB/m at 5.27???m were measured in Ag/polystyrene-coated waveguide with an almost unitary coupling efficiency.     

光子晶体环形谐振腔异质结构超微多路光分束器

基于直波导和环形谐振腔的耦合特性,设计了一种新型、高效的二维光子晶体异质结构光分束器.时域有限差分法模拟表明,该设计仅仅通过改变介质柱的折射率,使光场发生重新分布,便可实现输出能量的均分或自由分配.在通信波长范围,该设计结构尺寸小、分束角度大、分束率高,这些特性使其在光通信领域具有重要的应用前景.     

Gel-based optical waveguides with live cell encapsulation and integrated microfluidics

In this Letter, we demonstrate a biocompatible microscale optical device fabricated from agarose hydrogel that allows for encapsulation of cells inside an optical waveguide. This allows for better interaction between the light in the waveguide and biology, since it can interact with the direct optical mode rather than the evanescent field. We characterize the optical properties of the waveguide and further incorporate a microfluidic channel over the optical structure, thus developing an integrated optofluidic system fabricated entirely from agarose gel.     

Characteristics of slow light in a magnetized plasma hyperbolic metamaterial waveguide

The characteristics of slow light in a magnetized plasma hyperbolic metamaterial waveguide are analyzed in detail. Compared with a conventional waveguide filled with hyperbolic metamaterial cladded by dielectric or a dielectric waveguide cladded by hyperbolic metamaterial, the characteristics of slow light in a magnetized plasma hyperbolic metamaterial waveguide are actively tunable. The results show that plasma filling factor, dielectric constant of background materials, plasma density, and external magnetized field have significantly changed the characteristics of slow light. Parameter dependence of the effects is examined and discussed.     

左手介质矩形波导导模和表面模的场分布

从麦克斯韦方程组出发,结合电磁场的边界条件,推导出介质矩形波导导模的一般色散方程.对普通介质矩形波导和左手介质矩形波导的导模场分布分别进行了数值模拟.通过对比两种介质矩形波导的导模场分布的模拟结果,发现左手介质矩形波导Ex22模的场分布比普通介质波导Ex00模的场更集中在波导中部.同时,根据处理普通介质矩形波导的Marcatili方法.类比得到左手介质矩形波导表面模的色散方程,并数值模拟了低阶模的场分布,结果表明,能量主要集中在波导的四个角区以及波导的边缘.     

有限元法求解任意折射率分布光纤模场分布

 应用有限元方法求解了任意径向非均匀折射率分布园柱对称介质波导中纵向场耦合波动方程定解问题所对应的变分问题,该方法不受弱导或高斯模场分布等限制,可方便地求解光纤中介质波导的模场分布。用此方法研究了带阶跃环的三角型分段折射率分布光纤中归一化模场半径与芯层传输功率比值随光纤不同结构参数的变化规律。     

Optimization design of optical waveguide control by nanoslit-enhanced THz field

We discuss design issues of devices which were proposed recently [Opt. Lett. 37 (2012) 3903] for terahertz (THz) control of the propagation of an optical waveguide mode. The mode propagates through a nonlinear dielectric material placed in a metallic nanoslit illuminated by THz radiation. The THz field in the slit is strongly localized and thus significantly enhanced, facilitating nonlinear interactions with the dielectric waveguide material. This enhancement can lead to notable changes in the refractive index of the waveguide. The closer the waveguide is to the slit walls, the higher the nonlinear effects are, but with the cost of increasing propagation losses due to parasitic coupling to surface plasmon polaritons at the metal interfaces. We analyze several optical waveguide configurations and define a figure of merit that allows us to design the optimal configuration. We find that designs with less overlap of the THz and optical fields but also with lower losses are better than designs where both these parameters are higher. The estimated terahertz field incident onto the metallic nanoslit required to manipulate the waveguide mode has reasonable values which can be achieved in practice.     

Disposable and compact integrated plasmonic sensor using a long-period grating

This Letter theoretically proposes and investigates an integrated plasmonic sensor that is based on a grating-assisted coupling between a surface plasmon polariton (SPP) and a dielectric waveguide (DW) mode. It consists of a glass slide with a gold film for the propagation of an SPP and a separate DW with a long-period grating. For sensing, the two parts are temporarily combined. After sensing, the former is replaceable, and so the sensor has disposability. The design procedure and analysis method for the sensor are explained. The designed sensor is shown to be very compact. Its characteristics of sensing a change of the refractive index of liquid are analyzed and discussed.