Dao Phuc Quang Tri and Prachi Singhal1

Collaborator: Dr. Oka Kurniawan and Dr Iftikhar Ahmed2

1Anglo-Chinese Junior College
2Institute of High Performance Computing

Abstract Results and Analysis

This project explores the new evolving field of Plasmonics. The aim is to design a plasmonic source that
can generate the surface Plasmon polariton (SPP). Such a source is essential when we want to integrate
optical interconnections on a nanoscale chip, thereby increasing the operating speed of computers. To
achieve this objective, an elliptical microdisk laser was modified to allow surface plasmon polariton
generation. The simulation results indicate that an elliptical microdisk is more efficient in transferring
electromagnetic waves than a circular microdisk. We hope to be able to design a plamonic source that
gives higher extraction efficiency. Figure 1(a) Figure 1(b)
This figure shows the total electric field distribution when
the surface plasmon polariton waves couple to the This figure shows the field intensity
waveguide. The field intensity inside the plasmonic along a cross section of the
microdisk is higher than the intensity inside the waveguide, plasmonic waveguide. The electric
as expected. The microcavity builds up the field intensity field is confined inside the metal-

Introduction and competes with the losses until it reaches a steady state. insulator-metal (MIM) waveguide.

As we use multiple electrical gadgets, and are constantly vying for smaller and faster devices, it is
fascinating to learn how that is achievable. Plasmonics is one of the promising field to achieve high speed
and small computing devices. What is lacking in this nano-photonics field is a surface plasmon source.
The lack of surface plasmon source is normally resolved by using light source from free-space which is
then coupled to plasmonic devices [1]. This project investigates the design of a plasmonic source which Figure 2
will enable a maximum efficiency of coupling from a plasmonic source to plasmonic waveguides. In
This figure shows the intensity of the z-component (the dominant component)
plasmonic devices, the electromagnetic waves propagate at the interface of a dielectric and a metal. We
of the electric field in the waveguide (green) as compared to that in the elliptical
study an active device that emits surface plasmon polariton modes which can be coupled directly to a
disk (red). It can be seen that the extraction efficiency is about 62%.
waveguide to transfer the SPPs necessary for a plasmonic device. We have explored the factors affecting
the extraction efficiency of the plasmonic source. These factors are the shape of the microdisk laser, the
gap between the plasmonic source and waveguide, as well as the geometry of the waveguide itself. We
hope to be able to design a plasmonic source that gives higher extraction efficiency. Factors modified

Theoretical Background GAP

Surface plasmons (SPs), are waves that exist at the interface between a metal-dielectric interface, such as a
Figure 3
metal sheet in air). Essentially, the waves are due to a group of electrons collectively moving back and forth Figure 4
[2]. These waves are confined at the surface as they interact with the plasma of electrons near the surface of This figure shows the gap, i.e. the This figure shows how as the gap is increased from
the metal. distance between the microdisk 20nm to 120nm, the extraction efficiency first
and the waveguide. decreases, and then increases. This is quite different
from the effect on the circular microdisk where the
efficiency decreases exponentially, showing the effect
of the non-uniform radiation of the elliptical structure.

a/µm b/µm Efficiency

The resonant interaction between electron-charged oscillations near the surface of the metal and the
electromagnetic field of the light creates the Surface Plasmon Polariton (SPP) and results in rather unique 0.6 1.7 0.62
properties. This SPP can propagate along the surface of a metal until energy is lost either via absorption in 0.7 1.4 0.58
the metal or radiation into free-space. SPPs are bound to the metallic surface with exponentially decaying
SHAPE OF
0.8 1.3 0.51
fields in the metal. ELLIPSE 1.0 1.0 0.59
1.3 0.8 0.62
1.4 0.7 0.48
1.7 0.6 0.45
Figure 5
Figure 6

Procedure This figure shows the elliptical microdisk

with the waveguide, as was used to
The ratio between half the length of the ellipse in
x-axis (a) and in the y-axis (b) is varied, while the
calculate the efficiency. area of the ellipse is kept constant to see how it
The distance between the affects the extraction efficiency. It can be seen that
microdisk laser and the the maximum extraction efficiency is obtained at
waveguide was varied. a=0.6µm, b=1.7µm or a=1.3µm, b=0.8µm.
Steps 2-3 were repeated.

The fast fourier was

performed to calculate The structure of
the extraction efficiency. the waveguide
was varied. Steps
2-3 repeated. SHAPE OF
The shape of the microdisk laser WAVEGUIDE
was varied, by changing the ratio
of the major radius to the minor Figure 7 Figure 8
radius. Steps 2-3 were repeated.
This is a structure of This figure shows the intensity of the z-component
The computational method called dynamic
the waveguide having (the dominant component) of the electric field on
thermal electron quantum medium finite-
difference time domain (DTEQM-FDTD) was only the bottom metal top of the waveguide (green) as compared to that
used to simulate the field patterns [3]. layer. in the elliptical disk (red). It can be seen that the
extraction efficiency now increase to about 74%,
which is quite a significant increase.

The structures of the microdisk and the

waveguide were created. Conclusion
This project explored the plasmonic microdisk laser to obtain maximum efficiency in extracting the
References surface Plasmon polaritons. The maximum extraction efficiency obtained was 74% for the elliptical
microdisk and one metal layer waveguide. Moreover, it was observed that the electric field was
confined mostly at the interface of the metal and the dielectric. This new design will help to optimize
[1] Oka Kurniawan, Iftikhar Ahmed, and Erping Li, “Extraction Efficiency of Plasmonic Source for Nano-photonics Applications”. Submitted to IEEE Photonics Journal. the extraction efficiency and ultimately make it easier to integrate a plasmonic source onto a nanoscale
2010.
[2] H. Raether, Surface Plasmons (Springer, Berlin, 1988) integrated circuit. This work has several real world applications, such as plasmonic sensors, transistors,
[3] Y. Huang and S. T. Ho, “Computational model of solid state, molecular, or atomic media for FDTD simulation-based on a multi-level multi-electron system governed
by Pauli exclusion and Fermi–Dirac thermalization with application to semiconductor photonics,” Opt. Exp., vol. 14, pp. 3569–3587, 2006.
switches, and many more. The development of plasmonic sources will enhance the development of
[4] E. H. Khoo, I. Ahmed, and E. P. Li, “Enhancement of light energy extraction from elliptical microcavity using external magnetic field for switching applications,” fast and small devices in the future.
Applied Physics Letters, vol. 95, no. 12, p. 121104, 2009.
[5] E. H. Khoo, E. P. Li, I. Ahmed, Y. Huang, and S. T. Ho, “Light Energy Extraction From the Minor Surface Arc of an Electrically Pumped Elliptical Microcavity Laser,” IEEE
Journal of Quantum Electronics, vol. 46, no. 1, pp. 128–136, Jan. 2010.