Advanced mid-infrared plasmonic waveguides for on-chip integrated photonics
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Date
2023-10-01
Authors
David, Mauro
Disnan, Davide
Arigliani, Elena
Lardschneider, Anna
Marschick, Georg
Hoang, Hanh T.
Detz, Hermann
Lendl, Bernhard
Schmid, Ulrich
Strasser, Gottfried
ORCID
0000-0002-4167-3653Advisor
Referee
Mark
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Optica
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Abstract
Long-wave infrared (LWIR, 8–14 m) photonics is a rapidly growing research field within the mid-IR with applications in molecular spectroscopy and optical free-space communication. LWIR applications are often addressed using rather bulky tabletop-sized free-space optical systems, preventing advanced photonic applications, such as rapid-time-scale experiments. Here, device miniaturization into photonic integrated circuits (PICs) with maintained optical capabilities is key to revolutionize mid-IR photonics. Subwavelength mode confinement in plasmonic structures enabled such miniaturization approaches in the visible-to-near-IR spectral range. However, adopting plasmonics for the LWIR needs suitable low-loss and -dispersion materials with compatible integration strategies to existing mid-IR technology. In this paper, we further unlock the field of LWIR/mid-IR PICs by combining photolithographic patterning of organic polymers with dielectric-loaded surface plasmon polariton (DLSPP) waveguides. In particular, polyethylene shows favorable optical properties, including low refractive index and broad transparency between 2 m and 200 m. We investigate the whole value chain, including design, fabrication, and characterization of polyethylene-based DLSPP waveguides and demonstrate their first-time plasmonic operation and mode guiding capabilities along S-bend structures. Low bending losses of 1.3 dB and straight-section propagation lengths of 1 mm, pave the way for unprecedented complex on-chip mid-IR photonic devices. Moreover, DLSPPs allow full control of the mode parameters (propagation length and guiding capabilities) for precisely addressing advanced sensing and telecommunication applications with chip-scale devices.
Description
Citation
Photonics Research. 2023, vol. 11, issue 10, p. 1694-1702.
https://opg.optica.org/prj/fulltext.cfm?uri=prj-11-10-1694&id=540366
https://opg.optica.org/prj/fulltext.cfm?uri=prj-11-10-1694&id=540366
Document type
Peer-reviewed
Document version
Published version
Date of access to the full text
Language of document
en