All-semiconductor negative-index plasmonic absorbers.
We demonstrate epitaxially grown all-semiconductor thin-film midinfrared plasmonic absorbers and show that absorption in these structures is linked to the excitation of highly confined negative-index surface plasmon polaritons. Strong (>98%) absorption is experimentally observed, and the spectral position and intensity of the absorption resonances are studied by reflection and transmission spectroscopy. Numerical models as well as an analytical description of the excited guided modes in our structures are presented, showing agreement with experiment. The structures investigated demonstrate a wavelength-flexible, all-semiconductor, plasmonic architecture with potential for both sensing applications and enhanced interaction of midinfrared radiation with integrated semiconductor optoelectronic elements.
University of Illinois Urbana Champaign, Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Micro and Nanotechnology Lab, Urbana, Illinois 61801, USA.
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S
Law
Department of Physics and Applied Physics, University of Massachusetts Lowell, Lowell, Massachusetts 01854, USA.
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C
Roberts
University of Illinois Urbana Champaign, Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Micro and Nanotechnology Lab, Urbana, Illinois 61801, USA.
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T
Kilpatrick
University of Illinois Urbana Champaign, Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Micro and Nanotechnology Lab, Urbana, Illinois 61801, USA.
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L
Yu
Sandia National Labs, P.O. Box 5800, Albuquerque, New Mexico 87185, USA.
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T
Ribaudo
Sandia National Labs, P.O. Box 5800, Albuquerque, New Mexico 87185, USA.
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EA
Shaner
Department of Physics and Applied Physics, University of Massachusetts Lowell, Lowell, Massachusetts 01854, USA.
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V
Podolskiy
University of Illinois Urbana Champaign, Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Micro and Nanotechnology Lab, Urbana, Illinois 61801, USA.
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D
Wasserman