Investigation of the effect of fabrication-related disorders in subwavelength metal-dielectric-metal plasmonic waveguides

Changjun Min; Georgios Veronis

doi:10.1117/12.861084

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10 September 2010 Investigation of the effect of fabrication-related disorders in subwavelength metal-dielectric-metal plasmonic waveguides

Changjun Min, Georgios Veronis

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Proceedings Volume 7757, Plasmonics: Metallic Nanostructures and Their Optical Properties VIII; 77573E (2010) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.861084
Event: SPIE NanoScience + Engineering, 2010, San Diego, California, United States

Abstract

We theoretically investigate the effect of fabrication-related disorders on subwavelength metal-dielectric-metal plasmonic waveguides. We use a Monte Carlo method to calculate the roughness-induced excess attenuation coefficient with respect to a smooth waveguide. We find that the excess attenuation is mainly due to reflection from the rough surfaces. For small roughness height (δ<4nm), the excess optical power loss due to disorder is small compared to the material loss in a smooth waveguide. However, for large roughness height (δ>4nm), the excess attenuation increases rapidly and the propagation length of the optical mode is severely affected. We also find that the disorder attenuation due to reflection is maximized when the power spectral density of the disordered surfaces at the Bragg frequency is maximized. Finally, we show that increasing the modal confinement or decreasing the guide wavelength, increase the attenuation due to disorder.

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Changjun Min and Georgios Veronis "Investigation of the effect of fabrication-related disorders in subwavelength metal-dielectric-metal plasmonic waveguides", Proc. SPIE 7757, Plasmonics: Metallic Nanostructures and Their Optical Properties VIII, 77573E (10 September 2010); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.861084

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