Gold Shell Nanocluster Networks in Designing Four-Branch (1×4) Y-Shape Optical Power Splitters

In this study, closely spaced Au nanoparticles which are arranged in nanocluster (heptamer) configurations have been employed to design efficient plasmonic subwavelength devices to function at the telecommunication spectrum (${\lambda}$~1550 nm). Utilizing two kinds of nanoparticles, the optical properties of heptamer clusters composed of Au rod and shell particles that are oriented in triphenylene molecular fashion have been investigated numerically, and the cross-sectional profiles of the scattering and absorption of the optical power have been calculated based on a finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) method. Plasmon hybridization theory has been utilized as a theoretical approach to characterize the features and properties of the adjacent and mutual heptamer clusters. Using these given nanostructures, we designed a complex four-branch ($1{\times}4$) Y-shape splitter that is able to work at the near infrared region (NIR). This splitter divides and transmits the magnetic plasmon mode along the mutual heptamers arrays. Besides, as an important and crucial parameter, we studied the impact of arm spacing (offset distance) on the guiding and dividing of the magnetic plasmon resonance propagation and by calculating the ratio of transported power in both nanorod and nanoshell-based structures. Finally, we have presented the optimal structure, that is the four-branch Y-splitter based on shell heptamers which yields the power ratio of 23.9% at each branch, 4.4 ${\mu}m$ decaying length, and 1450 nm offset distance. These results pave the way toward the use of nanoparticles clusters in molecular fashions in designing various efficient devices that are able to be efficient at NIR.