Numerical simulations of long-range plasmonic transmission lines

Abstract

Structures that guide waves can be found in almost every optoelectronic or photonic device. Yet, the basic principles of guided waves in practical realizations have not evolved substantially over the past several decades. At microwave or radio frequencies (RF), waveguides typically comprise metal-enclosed volumes with or without a central conductor; in the latter case, the lateral dimensions of the waveguide dictate the frequencies of operation. At optical wavelengths, metals are comparatively poor conductors and have traditionally been excluded as optical components. Instead, dielectric waveguides are employed in which the mismatch between a higher dielectric region and free space or a lower dielectric cladding constrains light in a plane perpendicular to propagation. Because of the low losses in insulating dielectrics, optical waveguides (such as fiber optics) can support propagating modes with extraordinarily low absorption attenuation-often less than 1 dB per kilometer. © 2007 Springer.