Optical bistability in metal gap waveguide nanocavities
Optics Express, Vol. 16, Issue 12, pp. 8421-8426 (2008)
http://dx.doi.org/10.1364/OE.16.008421
Acrobat PDF (221 KB)
Abstract
Metal-dielectric nanocavities constructed by filling a piece of nonlinear optical material into metal gap waveguides are introduced for realizing optical bistability in nanodomain. Finite-difference time-domain simulation reveal that such a structure can realize optical bistable effect with much weaker operating light power in a nanoscale nonlinear medium. We attribute it to the enhancement of local field intensity and nanoscale confinement of surface plasmon polaritons. Our results verify a feasible way for constructing nanoscale optical logical gates, switches, and all-optical transistors etc. for high density integration of optical circuits.
© 2008 Optical Society of America
1. Introduction
M. Soljacic, M. Ibanescu, S. G. Johnson, Y. Fink, and J. D. Joannopoulos, “Optimal bistable switching in nonlinear photonic crystals,” Phys. Rev. E 66, 055601(R) (2002). [CrossRef]
H. G. Winful, J. H. Marburger, and E. Garmire, “Theory of bistability in nonlinear distributed feedback structures,” Appl. Phys. Lett. 35, 379–381 (1979). [CrossRef]
G. I. Stegeman, G. Assanto, R. Zanoni, C. T. Seaton, E. Garmire, A. A. Maradudin, R. Reinisch, and G. Vitrant, “Bistability and switching in nonlinear prism coupling,” Appl. Phys. Lett. 52, 869–871 (1988). [CrossRef]
G. Priem, P. Dumon, W. Bogaerts, D. Van Thourhoutm, G. Morthier, and R. Baets, “Optical bistability and pulsating behaviour in Silicon-On-Insulator ring resonator structures,” Opt. Express 13, 9623–9628 (2005), http://www.opticsexpress.org/abstract.cfm?URI=OPEX-13-23-9623. [CrossRef] [PubMed]
E. Centeno and D. Felbacq, “Optical bistability in finite-size nonlinear bidimensional photonic crystals doped by a microcavity,” Phys. Rev. B 62, R7683–R7686 (2000). [CrossRef]
X. Chen, “Intrinsic optical intersubband bistability and saturation in a quantum well microcavity structure,” J. Opt. B: Quantum Semiclass. Opt. 1, 524–528 (1999). [CrossRef]
G. A. Wurtz, R. Pollard, and A. V. Zayats, “Optical bistability in Nonlinear Surface-Plasmon Polaritonic Crystals,” Phys. Rev. Lett. 97, 057402 (2006). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
H. T. Miyazaki and Y. Kurokawa, “Squeezing Visible Light Waves into a 3-nm-Thick and 55-nm-Long Plasmon Cavity,” Phys. Rev. Lett. 96, 097401 (2006). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
2. Design and theory
H. M. Gibbs, S. L. McCall, T. N. C. Venkatesan, A. C. Gossard, A. Passner, and W. Wiegmann, “Optical bistability in semiconductors,” Appl. Phys. Lett. 35, 451–453 (1979). [CrossRef]
D. A. B. Miller, “Refractive Fabry-Perot Bistability with Linear Absorption: Theory of Operation and Cavity Optimizeion,” IEEE J. Quantum Electron. QE-17, 306–311 (1981). [CrossRef]
I. P. Kaminow, W. L. Mammel, and H. P. Weber, “Metal-Clad Optical Waveguides: Analytical and Experimental Study,” Appl. Opt. 13, 396–405 (1974). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
B. Wang and G. P. Wang, “Plasmon Bragg reflectors and nanocavities on flat metallic surfaces,” Appl. Phys. Lett. 87, 013107 (2005). [CrossRef]
B. Wang and G. P. Wang, “Plasmon Bragg reflectors and nanocavities on flat metallic surfaces,” Appl. Phys. Lett. 87, 013107 (2005). [CrossRef]
G. A. Wurtz, R. Pollard, and A. V. Zayats, “Optical bistability in Nonlinear Surface-Plasmon Polaritonic Crystals,” Phys. Rev. Lett. 97, 057402 (2006). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
R. M. Joseph and A. Taflove, “FDTD Maxwell’s Equations Models for Nonlinear Electrodynamics and Optics,” IEEE Trans. Antennas Propag. 45, 364–374 (1997). [CrossRef]
B. Wang and G. Ping Wang, “Metal heterowaveguides for nanometric focusing of light,” Appl. Phys. Lett. 85, 3599–3601 (2004). [CrossRef]
3. Simulation and discussion
T. Skauli, P. S. Kuo, K. L. Vodopyanov, T. J. Pinguet, O. Levi, L. A. Eyres, J. S. Harris, and M. M. Fejer, “Improved dispersion relations for GaAs and applications to nonlinear optics,” J. Appl. Phys. 94, 6447–6455 (2003). [CrossRef]
G. Priem, P. Dumon, W. Bogaerts, D. Van Thourhoutm, G. Morthier, and R. Baets, “Optical bistability and pulsating behaviour in Silicon-On-Insulator ring resonator structures,” Opt. Express 13, 9623–9628 (2005), http://www.opticsexpress.org/abstract.cfm?URI=OPEX-13-23-9623. [CrossRef] [PubMed]
H. M. Gibbs, S. L. McCall, T. N. C. Venkatesan, A. C. Gossard, A. Passner, and W. Wiegmann, “Optical bistability in semiconductors,” Appl. Phys. Lett. 35, 451–453 (1979). [CrossRef]
H. M. Gibbs, S. L. McCall, T. N. C. Venkatesan, A. C. Gossard, A. Passner, and W. Wiegmann, “Optical bistability in semiconductors,” Appl. Phys. Lett. 35, 451–453 (1979). [CrossRef]
P. Wen, M. Sanchez, M. Gross, and S. Esener, “Observation of bistability in a Vertical-Cavity Semiconductor Optical Amplifier (VCSOA),” Opt. Express 10, 1273–1278 (2002). [PubMed]
J. A. Porto, L. Martin-Moreno, and F. J. Garcia-Vidal, “Optical bistability in subwavelength slit apertures containing nonlinear media,” Phys. Rev. B 70, 081402(R) (2004). [CrossRef]
A. Husakou and J. Herrmann, “Steplike Transmission of Light through a Metal-Dielectric Multilayer Structure due to an Intensity-Dependent Sign of the Effective Dielectric Constant,” Phys. Rev. Lett. 99, 127402 (2007). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
C. J. Min, P. Wang, X. J. Jiao, Y. Deng, and H. Ming, “Optical bistability in subwavelength metallic grating coated by nonlinear material,” Opt. Express 15, 12368–12373 (2007), http://www.opticsexpress.org/abstract.cfm?uri=OE-15-19-12368. [CrossRef] [PubMed]
4. Conclusion
Acknowledgments
References and links
H. M. Gibbs, Optical Bistability: Controlling Light with Light (Academic, New York, 1985). | |
M. Soljacic, M. Ibanescu, S. G. Johnson, Y. Fink, and J. D. Joannopoulos, “Optimal bistable switching in nonlinear photonic crystals,” Phys. Rev. E 66, 055601(R) (2002). [CrossRef] | |
H. G. Winful, J. H. Marburger, and E. Garmire, “Theory of bistability in nonlinear distributed feedback structures,” Appl. Phys. Lett. 35, 379–381 (1979). [CrossRef] | |
G. I. Stegeman, G. Assanto, R. Zanoni, C. T. Seaton, E. Garmire, A. A. Maradudin, R. Reinisch, and G. Vitrant, “Bistability and switching in nonlinear prism coupling,” Appl. Phys. Lett. 52, 869–871 (1988). [CrossRef] | |
G. Priem, P. Dumon, W. Bogaerts, D. Van Thourhoutm, G. Morthier, and R. Baets, “Optical bistability and pulsating behaviour in Silicon-On-Insulator ring resonator structures,” Opt. Express 13, 9623–9628 (2005), http://www.opticsexpress.org/abstract.cfm?URI=OPEX-13-23-9623. [CrossRef] [PubMed] | |
E. Centeno and D. Felbacq, “Optical bistability in finite-size nonlinear bidimensional photonic crystals doped by a microcavity,” Phys. Rev. B 62, R7683–R7686 (2000). [CrossRef] | |
M. G. Banaee, A. R. Cowan, and J. F. Young, “Third-order nonlinear influence on the specular reflectivity of two-dimensional waveguide-based photonic crystals,” J. Opt. Soc. Am. B. 19, 2224–2231 (2002). [CrossRef] | |
X. Chen, “Intrinsic optical intersubband bistability and saturation in a quantum well microcavity structure,” J. Opt. B: Quantum Semiclass. Opt. 1, 524–528 (1999). [CrossRef] | |
G. A. Wurtz, R. Pollard, and A. V. Zayats, “Optical bistability in Nonlinear Surface-Plasmon Polaritonic Crystals,” Phys. Rev. Lett. 97, 057402 (2006). [CrossRef] [PubMed] | |
A. Husakou and J. Herrmann, “Steplike Transmission of Light through a Metal-Dielectric Multilayer Structure due to an Intensity-Dependent Sign of the Effective Dielectric Constant,” Phys. Rev. Lett. 99, 127402 (2007). [CrossRef] [PubMed] | |
C. J. Min, P. Wang, X. J. Jiao, Y. Deng, and H. Ming, “Optical bistability in subwavelength metallic grating coated by nonlinear material,” Opt. Express 15, 12368–12373 (2007), http://www.opticsexpress.org/abstract.cfm?uri=OE-15-19-12368. [CrossRef] [PubMed] | |
H. T. Miyazaki and Y. Kurokawa, “Squeezing Visible Light Waves into a 3-nm-Thick and 55-nm-Long Plasmon Cavity,” Phys. Rev. Lett. 96, 097401 (2006). [CrossRef] [PubMed] | |
H. M. Gibbs, S. L. McCall, T. N. C. Venkatesan, A. C. Gossard, A. Passner, and W. Wiegmann, “Optical bistability in semiconductors,” Appl. Phys. Lett. 35, 451–453 (1979). [CrossRef] | |
D. A. B. Miller, “Refractive Fabry-Perot Bistability with Linear Absorption: Theory of Operation and Cavity Optimizeion,” IEEE J. Quantum Electron. QE-17, 306–311 (1981). [CrossRef] | |
I. P. Kaminow, W. L. Mammel, and H. P. Weber, “Metal-Clad Optical Waveguides: Analytical and Experimental Study,” Appl. Opt. 13, 396–405 (1974). [CrossRef] [PubMed] | |
B. Wang and G. P. Wang, “Plasmon Bragg reflectors and nanocavities on flat metallic surfaces,” Appl. Phys. Lett. 87, 013107 (2005). [CrossRef] | |
R. M. Joseph and A. Taflove, “FDTD Maxwell’s Equations Models for Nonlinear Electrodynamics and Optics,” IEEE Trans. Antennas Propag. 45, 364–374 (1997). [CrossRef] | |
S. Martellucci and A. N. Chester, Integrated Optics Physics and Applications (Plenum, New York, 1983). | |
B. Wang and G. Ping Wang, “Metal heterowaveguides for nanometric focusing of light,” Appl. Phys. Lett. 85, 3599–3601 (2004). [CrossRef] | |
E. D. Palik, Handbook of Optical Constants of Solids (Academic, London, 1985). | |
T. Skauli, P. S. Kuo, K. L. Vodopyanov, T. J. Pinguet, O. Levi, L. A. Eyres, J. S. Harris, and M. M. Fejer, “Improved dispersion relations for GaAs and applications to nonlinear optics,” J. Appl. Phys. 94, 6447–6455 (2003). [CrossRef] | |
P. Wen, M. Sanchez, M. Gross, and S. Esener, “Observation of bistability in a Vertical-Cavity Semiconductor Optical Amplifier (VCSOA),” Opt. Express 10, 1273–1278 (2002). [PubMed] | |
J. A. Porto, L. Martin-Moreno, and F. J. Garcia-Vidal, “Optical bistability in subwavelength slit apertures containing nonlinear media,” Phys. Rev. B 70, 081402(R) (2004). [CrossRef] |
OCIS Codes
(190.1450) Nonlinear optics : Bistability
(230.7370) Optical devices : Waveguides
(240.6680) Optics at surfaces : Surface plasmons
(260.3910) Physical optics : Metal optics
ToC Category:
Nonlinear Optics
History
Original Manuscript: April 16, 2008
Revised Manuscript: May 13, 2008
Manuscript Accepted: May 13, 2008
Published: May 23, 2008
Citation
Yun Shen and Guo Ping Wang, "Optical bistability in metal gap waveguide nanocavities," Opt. Express 16, 8421-8426 (2008)
http://www.opticsinfobase.org/oe/abstract.cfm?URI=oe-16-12-8421
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References
- H. M. Gibbs, Optical Bistability: Controlling Light with Light (Academic, New York, 1985).
- M. Soljacic, M. Ibanescu, S. G. Johnson, Y. Fink, and J. D. Joannopoulos, "Optimal bistable switching in nonlinear photonic crystals," Phys. Rev. E 66, 055601(R) (2002).. H. G. Winful, J. H. Marburger, and E. Garmire, "Theory of bistability in nonlinear distributed feedback structures," Appl. Phys. Lett. 35, 379-381 (1979). [CrossRef]
- G. I. Stegeman, G. Assanto, R. Zanoni, C. T. Seaton, E. Garmire, A. A. Maradudin, R. Reinisch, and G. Vitrant, "Bistability and switching in nonlinear prism coupling," Appl. Phys. Lett. 52, 869-871 (1988). [CrossRef]
- G. Priem, P. Dumon, W. Bogaerts, D. Van Thourhoutm, G. Morthier, and R. Baets, "Optical bistability and pulsating behaviour in Silicon-On-Insulator ring resonator structures," Opt. Express 13, 9623-9628 (2005), http://www.opticsexpress.org/abstract.cfm?URI=OPEX-13-23-9623. [CrossRef]
- E. Centeno and D. Felbacq, "Optical bistability in finite-size nonlinear bidimensional photonic crystals doped by a microcavity," Phys. Rev. B 62, R7683-R7686 (2000). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
- M. G. Banaee, A. R. Cowan, and J. F. Young, "Third-order nonlinear influence on the specular reflectivity of two-dimensional waveguide-based photonic crystals," J. Opt. Soc. Am. B. 19, 2224-2231 (2002). [CrossRef]
- X. Chen, "Intrinsic optical intersubband bistability and saturation in a quantum well microcavity structure," J. Opt. B: Quantum Semiclass. Opt. 1, 524-528 (1999). [CrossRef]
- G. A. Wurtz, R. Pollard, and A. V. Zayats, "Optical bistability in Nonlinear Surface-Plasmon Polaritonic Crystals," Phys. Rev. Lett. 97, 057402 (2006). [CrossRef]
- A. Husakou and J. Herrmann, "Steplike Transmission of Light through a Metal-Dielectric Multilayer Structure due to an Intensity-Dependent Sign of the Effective Dielectric Constant," Phys. Rev. Lett. 99, 127402 (2007). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
- C. J. Min, P. Wang, X. J. Jiao, Y. Deng, and H. Ming, "Optical bistability in subwavelength metallic grating coated by nonlinear material," Opt. Express 15, 12368-12373 (2007), http://www.opticsexpress.org/abstract.cfm?uri=OE-15-19-12368. [CrossRef] [PubMed]
- H. T. Miyazaki and Y. Kurokawa, "Squeezing Visible Light Waves into a 3-nm-Thick and 55-nm-Long Plasmon Cavity," Phys. Rev. Lett. 96, 097401 (2006). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
- H. M. Gibbs, S. L. McCall, T. N. C. Venkatesan, A. C. Gossard, A. Passner, and W. Wiegmann, "Optical bistability in semiconductors," Appl. Phys. Lett. 35, 451-453 (1979). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
- D. A. B. Miller, "Refractive Fabry-Perot Bistability with Linear Absorption: Theory of Operation and Cavity Optimizeion," IEEE J. Quantum Electron. QE- 17, 306-311 (1981). [CrossRef]
- R. W. Boyd, Nonlinear Optics (Academic, New York, 1992). [CrossRef]
- I. P. Kaminow, W. L. Mammel, and H. P. Weber, "Metal-Clad Optical Waveguides: Analytical and Experimental Study," Appl. Opt. 13, 396-405 (1974).
- B. Wang and G. P. Wang, "Plasmon Bragg reflectors and nanocavities on flat metallic surfaces," Appl. Phys. Lett. 87, 013107 (2005). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
- R. M. Joseph and A. Taflove, "FDTD Maxwell?s Equations Models for Nonlinear Electrodynamics and Optics," IEEE Trans. Antennas Propag. 45, 364-374 (1997). [CrossRef]
- S. Martellucci and A. N. Chester, Integrated Optics Physics and Applications (Plenum, New York, 1983). [CrossRef]
- B. Wang and G. Ping Wang, "Metal heterowaveguides for nanometric focusing of light," Appl. Phys. Lett. 85, 3599-3601 (2004).
- E. D. Palik, Handbook of Optical Constants of Solids (Academic, London, 1985). [CrossRef]
- T. Skauli, P. S. Kuo, K. L. Vodopyanov, T. J. Pinguet, O. Levi, L. A. Eyres, J. S. Harris, and M. M. Fejer, "Improved dispersion relations for GaAs and applications to nonlinear optics," J. Appl. Phys. 94, 6447-6455 (2003).
- P. Wen, M. Sanchez, M. Gross, and S. Esener, "Observation of bistability in a Vertical-Cavity Semiconductor Optical Amplifier (VCSOA)," Opt. Express 10, 1273-1278 (2002). [CrossRef]
- J. A. Porto, L. Martin-Moreno, and F. J. Garcia-Vidal, "Optical bistability in subwavelength slit apertures containing nonlinear media," Phys. Rev. B 70, 081402(R) (2004). [PubMed]
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