Spaser in Coupled Metamaterials: The gain effect in a magnetic plasmon waveguide

TL;DR

This paper demonstrates that introducing Er, Yb codoped gain material into a magnetic plasmon waveguide can compensate for inherent losses and even amplify signals, advancing plasmonic integrated optical circuits.

Contribution

It presents a novel approach using Er, Yb codoped gain material in magnetic plasmon waveguides to address loss and achieve signal amplification.

Findings

Gain effect can compensate loss in the waveguide.

Signal amplification occurs beyond certain doping thresholds.

Higher doping concentrations improve gain and amplification.

Abstract

Loss is a crucial problem in plasmonic integrated optical circuits and metamaterials. The Er, Yb codoped gain material is introduced into a magnetic plasmon waveguide composed of a chain of nanosandwiches in order to solve the loss problem in such subwavelength waveguide. The magnetic plasmon mode and a higher order mode are chosen as the signal and pump light to enhance the radiation and pump efficiencies. The signal light propagating in the waveguide is investigated with different Er3+ doping concentration and signal decay time. It is shown that the gain effect can not only compensate the loss but also is able to amplify the signal, when exceeding certain threshold values of doping concentration and signal decay time.