Design of a hybrid silicon-plasmonic co-propagant integrated coherent perfect absorber

TL;DR

This paper introduces a hybrid silicon-plasmonic device that achieves coherent perfect absorption in a co-propagant coupler, with tunability, broadband operation, and potential for advanced optical applications.

Contribution

It presents a novel hybrid integration of plasmonic and dielectric waveguides for coherent perfect absorption in a co-propagant geometry, including detailed analysis and tunability features.

Findings

Achieves broadband coherent perfect absorption in a hybrid device.

Demonstrates device tunability and tolerance to fabrication uncertainties.

Provides insights into electromagnetic mode behavior for future applications.

Abstract

By a hybrid integration of plasmonic and dielectric waveguide concepts, it is shown that coherent perfect absorption can be achieved in a co-propagant coupler geometry. The device holds promises for classical and quantum signal processing. First, the operating principle of the proposed device is detailed in the context of a more general 2x2 lossy coupler formalism. Then, it is shown how to tune the device in a wide region of possible working points, its broadband operation, and the tolerance to fabrication uncertainties. Finally, a complete picture of the electromagnetic modes inside the hybrid structure is analyzed, shining light onto the potentials which the proposed device holds in view of other applications like nonlinear optics, polarization control, and sensing.