Active graphene plasmonics with a drift-current bias

TL;DR

This paper theoretically explores a graphene-based system with a drift-current bias that can amplify or attenuate plasmons, potentially leading to plasmon spasing, by leveraging the active response of streaming current carriers.

Contribution

It introduces a novel active graphene plasmonic system with drift-current bias enabling loss compensation, amplification, and potential spasing, which was not demonstrated before.

Findings

System enables loss compensation and plasmon amplification.

Behavior as an optical amplifier or attenuator depending on propagation direction.

Potential for plasmon spasing with feedback mechanisms.

Abstract

We theoretically demonstrate that a system formed by a drift-current biased graphene sheet on a silicon carbide substrate enables loss compensation and plasmon amplification. The active response of the graphene sheet is rooted in the optical pumping of the graphene plasmons with the gain provided by the streaming current carriers. The proposed system behaves as an optical amplifier for the plasmons co-propagating with the drifting electrons and as a strong attenuator for the counter-propagating plasmons. Furthermore, we show that the feedback obtained by connecting the input and output of the system, e.g., as a ring-shaped graphene - silicon carbide nanoresonator, combined with the optical gain provided by the drifting electrons, may lead to spasing.