Optical control of photon tunneling through an array of nanometer scale cylindrical channels

TL;DR

This paper demonstrates photon tunneling controlled by light at different wavelengths in nanometer-scale cylindrical channels, highlighting potential for advanced all-optical signal processing devices.

Contribution

It presents the first observation of wavelength-gated photon tunneling in nanostructured gold films, showcasing enhanced nonlinear optical effects in nanometric channels.

Findings

Photon tunneling can be gated by light at different wavelengths.

Strong polarization dependence confirms nonlinear optical mixing.

Potential for developing parallel all-optical processing devices.

Abstract

We report first observation of photon tunneling gated by light at a different wavelength in an artificially created array of nanometer scale cylindrical channels in a thick gold film. Polarization properties of gated light provide strong proof of the enhanced nonlinear optical mixing in nanometric channels involved in the process. This suggests the possibility of building a new class of "gated" photon tunneling devices for massive parallel all-optical signal and image processing.