All-plasmonic switching effect in the graphene nanostructures containing quantum emitters

TL;DR

This paper demonstrates a fast all-plasmonic switching effect in graphene nanostructures with quantum emitters, achieving high transmittance contrast through nonlinear plasmon-exciton interactions at 8 micrometers.

Contribution

It introduces a novel plasmonic switching mechanism utilizing strong coupling between surface plasmon-polaritons and quantum nanowires in graphene structures.

Findings

Achieved signal transmittance modulation from less than 7% to 93%.

Demonstrated switching rate of 50 GHz at 8 micrometers wavelength.

Validated the effect through 2D full-wave electromagnetic simulations.

Abstract

Nonlinear plasmonic effects in perspective 2D materials containing low-dimensional quantum emitters can be a basis of a novel technological platform for the fabrication of fast all-plasmonic triggers, transistors, and sensors. This article considers the conditions for achieving a strong plasmon-exciton coupling in the system with quantum nanowire (NW) placed in proximity to the nanostructured graphene sheets. In the condition of strong coupling, nonlinear interaction between two surface plasmon-polariton (SPP) modes propagating along the graphene waveguide integrated with a stub nanoresonator loaded with a core-shell semiconductor NWs is investigated. Using the 2D full-wave electromagnetic simulation, we studied the different transmittance regimes of the stub with NW for both the strong pump SPP and weak signal SPP tuned to interband and intraband transition in NW, respectively. We found such a regime of NW-SPP interaction that corresponds to the destructive interference with the signal SPP transmittance through the stub less than 7% in the case for pump SPP to be turned off. In contrast, the turning on the pump SPP leads to a transition to constructive interference in the stub and enhancement of signal SPP transmittance to 93%. In our model, the effect of plasmonic switching occurs with a rate of 50 GHz at wavelength 8 um for signal SPP localized inside 20 nm graphene stub loaded with core-shell InAs/ZnS NW.