Thermo-optic control of dielectric-loaded plasmonic Mach-Zehnder interferometers and directional coupler switches.
We report detailed experimental studies of compact fiber-coupled dielectric-loaded plasmonic waveguide components-Mach-Zehnder interferometers (MZIs) and directional couplers (DCs)-whose operation at telecom wavelengths is controlled via the thermo-optic effect by electrically heating the gold stripe of dielectric-loaded plasmonic waveguides. The effect of the gaps isolating the heated part of the waveguide from the rest of the structure was examined showing the presence of a Fabry-Pérot cavity in this MZI arm. Wavelength-dependent modulation is demonstrated with MZI-based components, and wavelength dependent low power (∼0.92 mW) rerouting is achieved with DC switches. Furthermore, simulations were performed to confirm the switching characteristics of the components.
Institute of Technology and Innovation, University of Southern Denmark, Niels Bohrs Alle 1, Odense M, Denmark. jag@iti.sdu.dk
Jacek
J
Gosciniak
Laurent
L
Markey
Alain
A
Dereux
Sergey I
SI
Bozhevolnyi