Open AccessDesign of metal-dielectric grating lasers only supporting surface-wave-like modes
Author(s) -
Po-Jui Chiang,
ShuWei Chang
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
optics express
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.394
H-Index - 271
ISSN - 1094-4087
DOI - 10.1364/oe.22.027845
Subject(s) - optics , materials science , surface plasmon , surface wave , lasing threshold , dielectric , laser , grating , surface plasmon polariton , optoelectronics , plasmon , wavelength , physics
We present a prototype of semiconductor lasers with plasmonic periodic structures that only support transverse-magnetic modes at telecommunication wavelengths. The structure does not sustain transverse-electric guided modes which are irrelevant to surface-wave-enhanced applications, and lasing modes must be surface-wave-like. With thin low-index dielectric buffers near the metal surface, the threshold gain is kept at a decent level around the photonic band edge. Thin windows are then opened on the metal surface to let out significant surface fields. This facilitates usages of surface waves for the spectroscopy and sensing.