Open AccessCompact plasmonic variable optical attenuator
Author(s) -
Kristján Leósson,
Tiberiu Rosenzveig,
Pétur Gordon Hermannsson,
Alexandra Boltasseva
Publication year - 2008
Publication title -
optics express
Language(s) - Uncategorized
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.394
H-Index - 271
ISSN - 1094-4087
DOI - 10.1364/oe.16.015546
Subject(s) - insertion loss , optics , materials science , optical attenuator , extinction ratio , attenuation , optoelectronics , plasmon , polarization (electrochemistry) , nanowire , wavelength , physics , optical fiber , fiber optic sensor , chemistry
We demonstrate plasmonic nanowire-based thermo-optic variable optical attenuators operating in the 1525-1625 nm wavelength range. The devices have a footprint as low as 1 mm, extinction ratio exceeding 40 dB, driving voltage below 3 V, and full modulation bandwidth of 1 kHz. The polarization dependent loss is shown to be critically dependent on the nanowire geometry but devices with polarization-dependent loss as low as +/-2.5 dB PDL over most of the attenuation range have been fabricated. We propose an even more compact device design to reduce insertion loss to approximately 1 dB.