Broadband and broadangle SPP antennas based on plasmonic crystals with linear chirp

TY - JOUR

T1 - Broadband and broadangle SPP antennas based on plasmonic crystals with linear chirp

AU - Bouillard, Jean-Sebastien

AU - Vilain, S

AU - Dickson, Wayne

AU - Wurtz, Gregory

AU - Zayats, Anatoly

PY - 2012/11/20

Y1 - 2012/11/20

N2 - Plasmonic technology relies on the coupling of light to surface electromagnetic modes on smooth or structured metal surfaces. While some applications utilise the resonant nature of surface polaritons, others require broadband characteristics. We demonstrate unidirectional and broadband plasmonic antennas with large acceptance angles based on chirped plasmonic gratings. Near-field optical measurements have been used to visualise the excitation of surface plasmon polaritons by such aperiodic structures. These weakly aperiodic plasmonic crystals allow the formation of a trapped rainbow-type effect in a two-dimensional geometry as surface polaritons of different frequencies are coherently excited in different locations over the plasmonic structure. Both the crystal's finite size and the finite lifetime of plasmonic states are crucial for the generation of broadband surface plasmon polaritons. This approach presents new opportunities for building unidirectional, broadband and broad-angle plasmonic couplers for sensing purposes, information processing, photovoltaic applications and shaping and manipulating ultrashort optical pulses.

AB - Plasmonic technology relies on the coupling of light to surface electromagnetic modes on smooth or structured metal surfaces. While some applications utilise the resonant nature of surface polaritons, others require broadband characteristics. We demonstrate unidirectional and broadband plasmonic antennas with large acceptance angles based on chirped plasmonic gratings. Near-field optical measurements have been used to visualise the excitation of surface plasmon polaritons by such aperiodic structures. These weakly aperiodic plasmonic crystals allow the formation of a trapped rainbow-type effect in a two-dimensional geometry as surface polaritons of different frequencies are coherently excited in different locations over the plasmonic structure. Both the crystal's finite size and the finite lifetime of plasmonic states are crucial for the generation of broadband surface plasmon polaritons. This approach presents new opportunities for building unidirectional, broadband and broad-angle plasmonic couplers for sensing purposes, information processing, photovoltaic applications and shaping and manipulating ultrashort optical pulses.

U2 - 10.1038/srep00829

DO - 10.1038/srep00829

M3 - Article

SN - 2045-2322

VL - 2

JO - Scientific Reports

JF - Scientific Reports

M1 - 829

ER -