Silicon waveguides with graphene: coupling of waveguide mode to surface plasmons

Abstract

Silicon waveguides with graphene layers have been recently intensively studied for their potential as fast and low-power electro-optic modulators with small footprints. In this paper we show that in the optical wavelength range of 1.55 mu m, surface plasmons supported by the graphene layer with the chemical potential exceeding similar to 0.5 eV can couple with the guided mode of the silicon waveguide and affect its propagation. On the other hand, this effect might be possibly utilized in technical applications like a very low-power amplitude modulation, temperature sensing, etc.Silicon waveguides with graphene layers have been recently intensively studied for their potential as fast and low-power electro-optic modulators with small footprints. In this paper we show that in the optical wavelength range of 1.55 mu m, surface plasmons supported by the graphene layer with the chemical potential exceeding similar to 0.5 eV can couple with the guided mode of the silicon waveguide and affect its propagation. On the other hand, this effect might be possibly utilized in technical applications like a very low-power amplitude modulation, temperature sensing, etc.