Propagation of Strongly Hybridized Edge Modes in Plasmonic Waveguides

TL;DR

This paper explores the propagation of hybridized edge modes in nanoscale plasmonic waveguides, demonstrating how coupled edge plasmons can be used to design polarization-independent modulators for electro-optical applications.

Contribution

It introduces a novel hybrid waveguide design that couples edge plasmons with optical modes, enabling polarization-independent plasmonic modulation.

Findings

Edge plasmons can be coupled with TE optical modes in hybrid waveguides.

Hybrid waveguides enable polarization-independent plasmonic devices.

Simulations demonstrate effective mode propagation in designed structures.

Abstract

In our work we investigate the propagation of optical modes in nanoscale hybrid plasmonic waveguides. Frequency domain Maxwell equations based simulations are implemented to study properties of mixed modes in 3D. The results of our analysis are applied to design an advanced hybrid waveguide with useful characteristics. It is demonstrated here how to couple two edge plasmons with a waveguide mode to form a hybrid waveguide well tuned for applications in the field of electro-optical transistors (modulators). A mixed polarization state of edge plasmons allows them to couple with a horizontally polarized (TE) optical mode (which is not possible for usual surface plasmons) and open the way to polarization independent plasmonic modulators.