Modeling of two-dimensional nanoscale Y-bent plasmonic waveguides with cavities for demultiplexing of the telecommunication wavelengths

Abstract

Numerical simulations, based on a finite-difference-time-domain (FDTD) method, of infrared light propagation for add/drop filtering in twodimensional (2D) metal-insulator-metal (Ag-SiO2-Ag) resonators are reported to design 2D Y-bent plasmonic waveguides with possible applications in telecommunication wavelength demultiplexing (WDM). First, we study optical transmission and reflection of a nanoscale SiO2 waveguide coupled to a nanocavity of the same insulator located either inside or on the side of a linear waveguide sandwiched between Ag. According to the inside or outside positioning of the nanocavity with respect to the waveguide, the transmission spectrum displays peaks or dips, respectively, which occur at the same central frequency. A fundamental study of the possible cavity modes in the near-infrared frequency band is also given. These filtering properties are then exploited to propose a nanoscale demultiplexer based on a Y-shaped plasmonic waveguide for separation of two different wavelengths, in selection or rejection, from an input broadband signal around 1550 nm. We detail coupling of the 2D add/drop Y connector to two cavities inserted on each of its branches. Selection or rejection of a pair of different wavelengths depends on the inside or outside locations (respectively) of each cavity in the Y plasmonic device. © IOP Publishing Ltd and Deutsche Physikalische Gesellschaft.