Graphene plasmonic communication link

A method for high frequency signal transfer, comprising:

• providing a plasmonic signal transfer link including a first plasmonic coupler, a second plasmonic coupler spaced apart from the first plasmonic coupler to form a gap, an insulator layer formed over end portions of the first and second plasmonic couplers and in and over the gap to completely fill a space between the first plasmonic coupler and the second plasmonic coupler, and a graphene plasmonic conductive layer formed over the gap on an exterior surface of the insulator layer of the plasmonic signal transfer link to excite plasmons to provide signal transmission between the first and second plasmonic couplers, wherein a first end of the graphene plasmonic conductive layer overlaps the first plasmonic coupler, and a second end of the graphene plasmonic conductive layer overlaps the second plasmonic coupler;
• signaling between a first component coupled to the first plasmonic coupler and a second component coupled to the second plasmonic coupler, said signaling including plasmons launched from the first plasmonic coupler from said first component of an integrated circuit, the plasmons being transmitted across the graphene plasmonic conductive layer to the second plasmonic coupler;
• and
• modulating the signal transmission in the signal transfer link with a gate field provided by at least two gate structures present over the plasmonic conductive layer, wherein a gate area of the first of the at least two gate structures is different from a gate area of at least a second of the at least two gate structures, wherein a difference in the gate area in said at least two gate structures produces a multi-level phase modulation.