title: An integrated surface-plasmon source.
abstract: A compact and versatile source of coherent surface-plasmon polaritions (SPPs) is demonstrated by end-coupling a laser diode operating at 1.46 microm to a plasmonic waveguide integrated on the same microchip. With an optimized overlap between the spatial-modes of the laser and a planar-stripe waveguide, a high coupling efficiency of approximately 36% is achieved, that computations show could approach approximately 60% with smaller, readily achievable gaps between laser and waveguide. This integrated and electrically-activated source, with an available SPP power limited only by the laser diode, appears ideally suited for directly driving plasmonic circuitry or surface-enhanced sensors.
authors.affiliation: Optical Sciences Division, Naval Research Laboratory, Washington, D.C. 20375, USA.
authors.forename: C S
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Vurgaftman
authors.forename: R A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Flynn
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: J R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Lindle
authors.forename: W W
authors.initials: WW
authors.lastname: Bewley
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Bussmann
authors.forename: J R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Meyer
authors.forename: J P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Long
mesh_terms: D054023:Lasers, Semiconductor; D008029:Lighting / Q000295:instrumentation*; D020349:Surface Plasmon Resonance / Q000295:instrumentation*; D018511:Systems Integration