US 2012/0057215 A1 · SURFACE PLASMON POLARITON MODULATOR

Abstract

A surface plasmon polariton modulator capable of locally varying a physical property of a dielectric material to control a surface plasmon polariton. The surface plasmon polariton modulator includes a dielectric layer, including first and second dielectric portions, which is interposed between two metal layers. The second dielectric portion has a refractive index which varies with an electric field, a magnetic field, heat, a sound wave, or a chemical and/or biological operation applied thereto. The surface plasmon polariton modulator is configured to control one of an advancing direction, an intensity, a phase, or the like of a surface plasmon using an electric signal. The surface plasmon polariton modulator can operate as a surface plasmon polariton multiplexer or a surface plasmon polariton demultiplexer.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A surface plasmon polariton modulator comprising:

a first metal layer and a second metal layer which are opposite to each other;
and
a dielectric layer interposed between the first metal layer and the second metal layer, the dielectric layer comprising a first dielectric portion and a second dielectric portion,
wherein the first and the second dielectric portions are alternately disposed along a traveling direction of a surface plasmon on a plane formed between the first and the second metal layers, and the first and the second dielectric portions are configured such that a surface plasmon incident on the dielectric layer travels along an interface between the first metal layer and the dielectric layer or an interface between the second metal layer and the dielectric layer.

1 more element

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Surface plasmon polariton modulator

Life of this patent

Surface plasmon polariton modulator

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims20