Abstract
Plasmonics squeezes light into dimensions far beyond the diffraction limit by coupling the light with the surface collective oscillation of free electrons at the interface of a metal and a dielectric. Plasmonics, referred to as a promising candidate for high-speed and high-density integrated circuits, bridges microscale photonics and nanoscale electronics and offers similar speed of photonic devices and similar dimension of electronic devices. Various types of passive and active surface plasmon polariton (SPP) enabled devices with enhanced deep-subwavelength mode confinement have attracted increasing interest including waveguides, lasers and biosensors. Despite the trade-off between the unavoidable metal absorption loss and extreme light concentration, the ever-increasing research efforts have been devoted to seeking low-loss plasmon-assisted nanophotonic devices with deep-subwavelength mode confinement, which might find potential applications in high-density nanophotonic integration and efficient nonlinear signal processing. In addition, other plasmon-assisted nanophotonic devices might also promote grooming functionalities and applications benefiting from plasmonics.
In this review article, we give a brief overview of our recent progress in plasmon-assisted nanophotonic devices and their wide applications, including long-range hybrid plasmonic slot (LRHPS) waveguide, ultra-compact plasmonic microresonator with efficient thermo-optic tuning, high quality (Q) factor and small mode volume, compact active hybrid plasmonic ring resonator for deep-subwavelength lasing applications, fabricated hybrid plasmonic waveguides for terabit-scale photonic interconnection, and metamaterials-based broadband and selective generation of orbital angular momentum (OAM) carrying vector beams. It is believed that plasmonics opens possible new ways to facilitate next chip-scale key devices and frontier technologies.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Brongersma M L, Hartman J W, Atwater H H. Plasmonics: electromagnetic energy transfer and switching in nanoparticle chainarrays below the diffraction limit. MRS Proceedings, 1999, 582: H10.5
Zia R, Schuller J A, Chandran A, Brongersma M L. Plasmonics: the next chip-scale technology. Materials Today, 2006, 9(7–8): 20–27
Ozbay E. Plasmonics: merging photonics and electronics at nanoscale dimensions. Science, 2006, 311(5758): 189–193
Brongersma M L, Shalaev V M. Applied physics. The case for plasmonics. Science, 2010, 328(5977): 440–441
Schuller J A, Barnard E S, Cai W, Jun Y C, White J S, Brongersma M L. Plasmonics for extreme light concentration and manipulation. Nature Materials, 2010, 9(3): 193–204
Economou E N. Surface plasmons in thin films. Physical Review, 1969, 182(2): 539–554
Burke J J, Stegeman G I, Tamir T. Surface-polariton-like waves guided by thin, lossy metal films. Physical Review B: Condensed Matter and Materials Physics, 1986, 33(8): 5186–5201
Raether H. Surface Plasmons on Smooth and Rough Surfaces and on Gratings. New York: Springer-Verlag, 1988
Barnes W L, Dereux A, Ebbesen T W. Surface plasmon subwavelength optics. Nature, 2003, 424(6950): 824–830
Ebbesen TW, Genet C, Bozhevolnyi S I. Surface-plasmon circuitry. Physics Today, 2008, 61(5): 44–50
Gramotnev D K, Bozhevolnyi S I. Plasmonics beyond the diffraction limit. Nature Photonics, 2010, 4(2): 83–91
Zhang J, Zhang L. Nanostructures for surface plasmons. Advances in Optics and Photonics, 2012, 4(2): 157–321
Han Z, Bozhevolnyi S I. Radiation guiding with surface plasmon polaritons. Reports on Progress in Physics, 2013, 76(1): 016402
Oulton R F, Bartal G, Pile D F P, Zhang X. Confinement and propagation characteristics of subwavelength plasmonic modes. New Journal of Physics, 2008, 10(10): 105018
Alam M Z, Meier J, Aitchison J S, Mojahedi M. Super mode propagation in low index medium. In: Proceedings of Conference on Lasers and Electro-Optics/Quantum Electronics and Laser Science Conference and Photonic Applications Systems Technologies. OSA Technical Digest Series (CD) (Optical Society of America), 2007, JThD112
Alam M Z, Aitchison J S, Mojahedi M. A marriage of convenience: hybridization of surface plasmon and dielectric waveguide modes. Laser & Photonics Reviews, 2014, 8(3): 394–408
Oulton R F, Sorger V J, Genov D A, Pile D F P, Zhang X. A hybrid plasmonic waveguide for subwavelength confinement and longrange propagation. Nature Photonics, 2008, 2(8): 496–500
Oulton R F, Sorger V J, Zentgraf T, Ma R M, Gladden C, Dai L, Bartal G, Zhang X. Plasmon lasers at deep subwavelength scale. Nature, 2009, 461(7264): 629–632
Homola J, Yee S S, Gauglitz G. Surface plasmon resonance sensors. Sensors and Actuators. B, Chemical, 1999, 54(1–2): 3–15
Berini P. Long-range surface plasmon polaritons. Advances in Optics and Photonics, 2009, 1(3): 484–588
Liu L, Han Z, He S. Novel surface plasmon waveguide for high integration. Optics Express, 2005, 13(17): 6645–6650
Dai D, He S. A silicon-based hybrid plasmonic waveguide with a metal cap for a nano-scale light confinement. Optics Express, 2009, 17(19): 16646–16653
Dai D, He S. Low-loss hybrid plasmonic waveguide with double low-index nano-slots. Optics Express, 2010, 18(17): 17958–17966
Kim J T, Ju J J, Park S, Kim M S, Park S K, Shin S Y. Hybrid plasmonic waveguide for low-loss lightwave guiding. Optics Express, 2010, 18(3): 2808–2813
Kwon M S. Metal-insulator-silicon-insulator-metal waveguides compatible with standard CMOS technology. Optics Express, 2011, 19(9): 8379–8393
Huang Q, Bao F, He S. Nonlocal effects in a hybrid plasmonic waveguide for nanoscale confinement. Optics Express, 2013, 21(2): 1430–1439
Bian Y, Gong Q. Low-loss light transport at the subwavelength scale in silicon nano-slot based symmetric hybrid plasmonic waveguiding schemes. Optics Express, 2013, 21(20): 23907–23920
Huang C C. Ultra-long-range symmetric plasmonic waveguide for high-density and compact photonic devices. Optics Express, 2013, 21(24): 29544–29557
Chu H S, Li E P, Bai P, Hegde R. Optical performance of singlemode hybrid dielectric-loaded plasmonic waveguide-based components. Applied Physics Letters, 2010, 96(22): 221103
Chen L, Zhang T, Li X, Huang W. Novel hybrid plasmonic waveguide consisting of two identical dielectric nanowires symmetrically placed on each side of a thin metal film. Optics Express, 2012, 20(18): 20535–20544
Xiang C, Wang J. Long-range hybrid plasmonic slot waveguide. IEEE Photonics Journal, 2013, 5(2): 4800311
Xiang C, Wang J, Chan C K. Ultra-compact plasmonic microresonator with efficient thermo-optic tuning, high quality factor and small mode volume. In: Proceedings of CLEO: Science and Innovations. Optical Society of America, 2013, JTu4A.59
Xiang C, Chan C K, Wang J. Proposal and numerical study of ultracompact active hybrid plasmonic resonator for sub-wavelength lasing applications. Scientific Reports, 2014, 4: 3720
Du J, Gui C, Li C, Yang Q, Wang J. Design and fabrication of hybrid SPP waveguides for ultrahigh-bandwidth low-penalty 1.8-Tbit/s data transmission (161 WDM 11.2-Gbit/s OFDM 16-QAM). In: Proceedings of CLEO: Applications and Technology. Optical Society of America, 2014, JTh2A. 35
Zhao Z, Wang J, Li S, Willner A E. Metamaterials-based broadband generation of orbital angular momentum carrying vector beams. Optics Letters, 2013, 38(6): 932–934
Zhao Z, Wang J, Li S, Willner A E. Selective broadband generation of orbital angular momentum carrying vector beams using metamaterials. In: Proceedings of CLEO: QELS Fundamental Science. Optical Society of America, 2013, QM4A.7
Ritchie R H. Plasma losses by fast electrons in thin films. Physical Review, 1957, 106(5): 874–881
Almeida V R, Xu Q, Barrios C A, Lipson M. Guiding and confining light in void nanostructure. Optics Letters, 2004, 29(11): 1209–1211
Koos C, Vorreau P, Vallaitis T, Dumon P, Bogaerts W, Baets R, Esembeson B, Biaggio I, Michinobu T, Diederich F, Freude W, Leuthold J. All-optical high-speed signal processing with silicon-organic hybrid slot waveguides. Nature Photonics, 2009, 3(4): 216–219
Spano R, Galan J V, Sanchis P, Martinez A, Marti J, Pavesi L. Group velocity dispersion in horizontal slot waveguides filled by Si nanocrystals.In: Proceedings of 5th IEEE International Conference on Group IV Photonics. IEEE, 2008, 314–316
Berini P. Figures of merit for surface plasmon waveguides. Optics Express, 2006, 14(26): 13030–13042
Martínez A, Blasco J, Sanchis P, Galán J V, García-Rupérez J, Jordana E, Gautier P, Lebour Y, Hernández S, Guider R, Daldosso N, Garrido B, Fedeli J M, Pavesi L, Martí J, Spano R. Ultrafast alloptical switching in a silicon-nanocrystal-based silicon slot waveguide at telecom wavelengths. Nano Letters, 2010, 10(4): 1506–1511
Vahala K J. Optical microcavities. Nature, 2003, 424(6950): 839–846
Oxborrow M. Traceable 2-D finite-element simulation of the whispering-gallery modes of axisymmetric electromagnetic resonators. IEEE Transactions on Microwave Theory and Techniques, 2007, 55(6): 1209–1218
Johnson P B, Christy R W. Optical constants of the noble metals. Physical Review B: Condensed Matter and Materials Physics, 1972, 6(12): 4370–4379
Bass M, DeCusatis C, Enoch J, Lakshminarayanan V, Li G, MacDonald A, Mahajan V N, Van Stryland E W. Handbook of Optics, Volume II: Design, Fabrication and Testing, Sources and Detectors, Radiometry and Photometry. New York: McGraw-Hill, Inc., 2009
Zhang X Y, Hu A, Zhang T, Xue X J, Wen J Z, Duley W W. Subwavelength plasmonic waveguides based on ZnO nanowires and nanotubes: a theoretical study of thermo-optical properties. Applied Physics Letters, 2010, 96(4): 043109
Hill M T, Oei Y S, Smalbrugge B, Zhu Y, de Vries T, van Veldhoven P J, van Otten FWM, Eijkemans T J, Turkiewicz J P, de Waardt H, Geluk E J, Kwon S H, Lee Y H, Nötzel R, Smit M K. Lasing in metallic-coated nanocavities. Nature Photonics, 2007, 1(10): 589–594
Noginov M A, Zhu G, Belgrave A M, Bakker R, Shalaev V M, Narimanov E E, Stout S, Herz E, Suteewong T, Wiesner U. Demonstration of a spaser-based nanolaser. Nature, 2009, 460(7259): 1110–1112
Xiao Y F, Li B B, Jiang X, Hu X, Li Y, Gong Q. High quality factor, small mode volume, ring-type plasmonic microresonator on a silver chip. Journal of Physics. B, Atomic, Molecular, and Optical Physics, 2010, 43(3): 035402
Zhu L. Modal properties of hybrid plasmonic waveguides for nanolaser applications. IEEE Photonics Technology Letters, 2010, 22(8): 535–537
Agarwal R, Barrelet C J, Lieber C M. Lasing in single cadmium sulfide nanowire optical cavities. Nano Letters, 2005, 5(5): 917–920
Allen L, Beijersbergen MW, Spreeuw R J C, Woerdman J P. Orbital angular momentum of light and the transformation of Laguerre-Gaussian laser modes. Physical Review A, 1992, 45(11): 8185–8189
Franke-Arnold S, Allen L, Padgett M. Advances in optical angular momentum. Laser & Photonics Reviews, 2008, 2(4): 299–313
Yao A M, Padgett M J. Orbital angular momentum: origins, behavior and applications. Advances in Optics and Photonics, 2011, 3(2): 161–204
Gibson G, Courtial J, Padgett M, Vasnetsov M, Pas’ko V, Barnett S, Franke-Arnold S. Free-space information transfer using light beams carrying orbital angular momentum. Optics Express, 2004, 12(22): 5448–5456
Wang J, Yang J Y, Fazal I M, Ahmed N, Yan Y, Huang H, Ren Y, Yue Y, Dolinar S, Tur M, Willner A E. Terabit free-space data transmission employing orbital angular momentum multiplexing. Nature Photonics, 2012, 6(7): 488–496
Stalder M, Schadt M. Linearly polarized light with axial symmetry generated by liquid-crystal polarization converters. Optics Letters, 1996, 21(23): 1948–1950
Zhan Q. Cylindrical vector beams: from mathematical concepts to applications. Advances in Optics and Photonics, 2009, 1(1): 1–57
Ruan Z, Qiu M. Enhanced transmission through periodic arrays of subwavelength holes: the role of localized waveguide resonances. Physical Review Letters, 2006, 96(23): 233901
Kang M, Chen J, Gu B, Li Y, Vuong L T, Wang H T. Spatial splitting of spin states in subwavelength metallic microstructures via partial conversion of spin-to-orbital angular momentum. Physical Review A, 2012, 85(3): 035801
Poon AW, Luo X, Chen H, Fernandes G E, Chang R K. Microspiral resonators for integrated photonics. Optics and Photonics News, 2008, 19(10): 48–53
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Additional information
Jian Wang (M’12) received the Ph.D. degree in physical electronics from the Wuhan National Laboratory for Optoelectronics, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China, in 2008. He worked as a Postdoctoral Research Associate in the Department of Electrical Engineering, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California, USA, from 2009 to 2011. He is currently a professor at the Wuhan National Laboratory for Optoelectronics, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China. He is the Assistant Director of Wuhan National Laboratory for Optoelectronics. He is also a Chutian Scholar Distinguished Professor in Hubei Province. He gained supports from the New Century Excellent Talents in University in 2011 and China National Funds for Excellent Young Scientists in 2012.
Jian Wang is the member of IEEE, OSA, SPIE and COS. He has more than 150 publications including 2 book chapters, 1 special issue, 2 review articles, 29 invited talks/papers, 6 postdeadline papers, and more than 70 journal papers published on Science, Nature Photonics, Scientific Reports, Applied Physics Letters, Optics Express, Optics Letters, etc. He is a frequent reviewer of Scientific Reports, Optics Express, Optics Letters, etc. He has devoted his research efforts to photonic integrated devices and high-speed optical communications and optical data processing.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Wang, J. A review of recent progress in plasmon-assisted nanophotonic devices. Front. Optoelectron. 7, 320–337 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12200-014-0469-4
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12200-014-0469-4