• Korean Journal of Optics and Photonics
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.73-79
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• 2008

We propose a novel metal-waveguide structure for sustaining long-range surface-plasmon-polaritons (LRSPP). The LRSPP waveguides are composed basically of two asymmetric metal layers: a very thin, finite-width metal strip on top of a metal slab with a dielectric gap in between them. Mode cut-off of LRSPPs excited on the double-metal waveguides is characterized by consistently investigating their dispersion relations and mode profiles. We also confirm experimentally the existence of low-loss, well-confined LRSPP modes by measuring far-field outputs emerging from an edge of the asymmetric double-metal waveguides. In the experiment, we have fabricated several types of SPP waveguide devices including straight lines, S-bend, and Y-branch consisting of gold strips (20 nm-thick, $5{\mu}m$-wide). Overall propagation loss of the proposed double-metal waveguides is quite comparable to that of single metal-strip waveguides, in addition the mode sizes can be tuned by increasing the core-insulator gap between the metal layers to get a higher coupling efficiency with a single-mode fiber in telecom wavelength. The proposed LRSPP waveguides may open up realization of SPP-waveguide sensors or nonlinear SPP-devices by replacing the core-insulator with a bio-fluid or a nonlinear medium.

• The Journal of the Institute of Internet, Broadcasting and Communication
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• v.22 no.3
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• pp.145-150
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• 2022

An analytical model based on a modal transmission-line theory (MTLT) is developed to investigate the optical transmission through metal gratings. This model gives well physical meanings for the transmission as well as for the dispersion relations of the modes responsible for high transmission. These concepts provide accurate information even for real metals used in the visible~near-infrared wavelength range, where surface plasmon polaritons (SPP's) are excited. Furthermore, the dispersion relations allow the nature of the propagation modes to be assessed. The propagation modes are hybrid between Fabry-Pérot like modes and SPP's. It is important to consider different period and aspect ratio of metal gratings in order to determine the nature of the hybrid modes. In this paper, the sensing characteristics and mode propagation phenomena of high-performance plasma bio-sensors that depend on these variables were clearly analyzed.