Query: Electronic control of extraordinary terahertz transmission through subwavelength metal hole arrays

Candidate papers:

abstract: We describe the electronic control of extraordinary terahertz transmission through subwavelength metal hole arrays fabricated on doped semiconductor substrates. The hybrid metal semiconductor forms a Schottky diode structure, where the active depletion region modifies the substrate conductivity in real time by applying an external voltage bias. This enables effective control of the resonance enhanced terahertz transmission. Our proof of principle device achieves an intensity modulation depth of 52% by changing the voltage bias between 0 and 16 volts. Further optimization may result in improvement of device performance and practical applications. This approach can be also translated to the other optical frequency ranges.
author_names: Hou-Tong Chen

Hong Lu

Abul Kalam Azad

Richard D Averitt

Arthur C Gossard

S A Trugman

John F O'Hara

Antoinette J Taylor
title: Electronic control of extraordinary terahertz transmission through subwavelength metal hole arrays.
venue: Optics express
year: 2008

abstract: We have performed comprehensive electromagnetic simulations and preliminary experiments to explore the effects of geometrical and material parameters on the extraordinary optical transmission (EOT) through periodic arrays of subwavelength holes in a bilayer stack consisting of a gold or silver film atop a vanadium dioxide film (Au/Ag VO2) where the latter undergoes a semiconductor to metal phase transition. Using the finite difference time domain (FDTD) and finite element methods (FEM) we vary iteratively the array periodicity, VO2 film thickness and hole diameters, as well as the refractive index inside the VO2 layer holes and the VO2 optical constants. For each variation, we compare the metallic to semiconducting ratios of the zero order transmission (T00) peaks and find sharp maxima in these ratios within narrow parameter ranges. The maxima arise from Fabry Perot and Fano type resonances that minimize T00 in the semiconducting phase of the perforated bilayers. At a fixed array period, the primary factors controlling the VO2 enabled EOT modulation are the VO2 thickness, diameter of the VO2 layer holes, and absorption in the two VO2 phases. Besides uncovering the origins of the higher metallic phase T00, this study provides a protocol for optimizing the performance of the bilayer hole arrays for potential uses as dynamically tunable nano optical devices.
author_names: Eugenii U Donev

Francis X Hart

Bertrand Nkurunziza

Kevin Bertschinger

Jinlin Zhang

Jae Yong Suh
title: Parametric study of optical transmission through plasmonic hole arrays modulated by the phase transition of vanadium dioxide
year: 2020

abstract: The use and control of the extraordinary optical transmission through subwavelength hole arrays has enormous application potential in photonic devices. In this paper, we propose a subwavelength hole array with inner tunnels, for which the Smith Purcell radiation (SPR) with this enhanced transmission phenomenon in THz is excited when the transmission peak locates in the SPR band. The SPR is monitored using particle in cell simulations in order to analyze the mechanisms responsible for improving the radiation coherence. Analysis of the electron energy loss reveals that the proposed subwavelength hole array with inner tunnels outperforms a conventional subwavelength grating array with respect to SPR generation efficiency. As SPR plays a significant role in research on particle diagnosis and terahertz radiation sources, the performance of the proposed structure suggests that it has high application potential.
author_names: Deqiang Zhao

Xiaosong Wang

Shaomeng Wang

Yusuke Sakai

Yaxin Zhang

Mingchun Tang

Yingqiong Yong

Lin Meng

Yubin Gong
title: Smith Purcell radiation based on the transmission enhancement of a subwavelength hole array with inner tunnels.
venue: Optics express
year: 2021

abstract: For pairs of entangled photons, each seems to know about the state of the other. Using this property of quantum entanglement, we can remotely control the extraordinary optical transmission through subwavelength holes in a metal plate. Our method can also be used for entanglement distillation.
author_names: Xifeng Ren

Guo-Ping Guo

Pei Zhang

Yun-Feng Huang

Zhi-wei Wang

Guangcan Guo
title: Remote control of extraordinary transmission through subwavelength hole arrays
year: 2008

abstract: We demonstrate the terahertz coherent control of extraordinary transmission through subwavelength metallic hole arrays with double terahertz pulses. The interference of excitations of surface plasmon polaritons (SPPs) by two THz pulses sequence is employed to control the propagation of SPPs in the periodical structure. As a result, the THz wave transmission is controllable by adjusting the arriving time of the control THz pulse. Our results reveal that THz extraordinary transmission in subwavelength structure arises from the excitation of SPPs of the structures, which provides a universal ultrafast means to control the SPPs motion in various THz subwavelength structures.
author_names: Gaofang Li

Zuanming Jin

Xin Xue

Xian Lin

Guohong Ma

Shuhong Hu

Ning Dai
title: Terahertz coherent control of surface plasmon polariton propagation in subwavelength metallic hole arrays
year: 2012

abstract: Extraordinary optical transmission through subwavelength metallic hole arrays has been an active research area since its first demonstration. The frequency selective resonance properties of subwavelength metallic hole arrays, generally known as surface plasmon polaritons, have potential use in functional plasmonic devices such as filters, modulators, switches, etc. Such plasmonic devices are also very promising for future terahertz applications. Ultrafast switching or modulation of the resonant behavior of the 2 D metallic arrays in terahertz frequencies is of particular interest for high speed communication and sensing applications. In this paper, we demonstrate ultrafast optical control of surface plasmon enhanced resonant terahertz transmission in two dimensional subwavelength metallic hole arrays fabricated on gallium arsenide based substrates. Optically pumping the arrays creates a thin conductive layer in the substrate reducing the terahertz transmission amplitude of both the resonant mode and the direct transmission. Under low optical fluence, the terahertz transmission is more greatly affected by resonance damping than by propagation loss in the substrate. An ErAs:GaAs nanoisland superlattice substrate is shown to allow ultrafast control with a switching recovery time of ~10 ps. We also present resonant terahertz transmission in a hybrid plasmonic film comprised of an integrated array of subwavelength metallic islands and semiconductor hole arrays. Optically pumping the semiconductor hole arrays favors excitation of surface plasmon resonance. A large dynamic transition between a dipolar localized surface plasmon mode and a surface plasmon resonance near 0.8 THz is observed under near infrared optical excitation. The reversal in transmission amplitude from a stop band to a pass band and up to p/ 2 phase shift achieved in the hybrid plasmonic film make it promising in large dynamic phase modulation, optical changeover switching, and active terahertz plasmonics.
author_names: Abul Kalam Azad

Hou-Tong Chen

Antoinette J Taylor

Weili Zhang

John F O'Hara
title: Ultrafast optical control of terahertz surface plasmons in subwavelength hole arrays at room temperature
venue: OPTO
year: 2011

abstract: The extraordinary transmission properties of terahertz waves through arrays of subwavelength holes on a metal film have been investigated. The effects of the geometrical parameters and dielectrics filling the hole on transmission properties have been explored. The results show that the resonance peak shifts to long wavelength as the hole width and lattice period constant increase. As the refractive index of the dielectric materials filling the hole increases, the transmittance increases and the resonance peak wavelength changes to low frequency. The phase retardation can be flexibly changed by varying the geometrical parameters and dielectric materials filling in the hole.
author_names: Xiaoyong He

Xiao-nan Fu

Yan-Wei Luo
title: Analysis of the extraordinary transmission properties of arrays of subwavelength holes on a metal film in the terahertz region
year: 2009

abstract: The desire to use and control photons in a manner analogous to the control of electrons in solids has inspired great interest in such topics as the localization of light, microcavity quantum electrodynamics and near field optics. A fundamental constraint in manipulating light is the extremely low transmittivity of apertures smaller than the wavelength of the incident photon. While exploring the optical properties of submicrometre cylindrical cavities in metallic films, we have found that arrays of such holes display highly unusual zero order transmission spectra (where the incident and detected light are collinear) at wavelengths larger than the array period, beyond which no diffraction occurs. In particular, sharp peaks in transmission are observed at wavelengths as large as ten times the diameter of the cylinders. At these maxima the transmission efficiency can exceed unity (when normalized to the area of the holes) which is orders of magnitude greater than predicted by standard aperture theory. Our experiments provide evidence that these unusual optical properties are due to the coupling of light with plasmons electronic excitations on the surface of the periodically patterned metal film. Measurements of transmission as a function of the incident light angle result in a photonic band diagram. These findings may find application in novel photonic devices.
author_names: Thomas W Ebbesen

Henri J Lezec

H F Ghaemi

Tineke Thio

Peter A Wolff
title: Extraordinary optical transmission through sub wavelength hole arrays
venue: Nature
year: 1998

abstract: We describe a simple configuration in which the extraordinary optical transmission effect through subwavelength hole arrays in noble metal films can be switched by the semiconductor to metal transition in an underlying thin film of vanadium dioxide. In these experiments, the transition is brought about by thermal heating of the bilayer film. The surprising reverse hysteretic behavior of the transmission through the subwavelength holes in the vanadium oxide suggest that this modulation is accomplished by a dielectric matching condition rather than plasmon coupling through the bilayer film. The results of this switching, including the wavelength dependence, are qualitatively reproduced by a transfer matrix model. The prospects for effecting a similar modulation on a much faster time scale by using ultrafast laser pulses to trigger the semiconductor to metal transition are also discussed.
author_names: Eugenii U Donev

Jae Yong Suh

Rene Lopez

L C Feldman

Richard F Haglund
title: Using a Semiconductor to Metal Transition to Control Optical Transmission through Subwavelength Hole Arrays
year: 2008

abstract: Previous chapters discussed the excitation and propagation of SPPs along a planar interface and the scattering and damping of LSPRs around a spatial particle. This chapter discusses the transmission phenomena of electromagnetic energy passing through narrow holes. Light passing through subwavelength holes in opaque metallic films has fascinated specialists for over a century due to the fundamental concerns in both optical science and applications. There are numerous significant works investigating either single holes or hole arrays. The early theoretical contributions date back to Lord Rayleigh's interpretation of the diffraction effect in metal gratings.1 Most works focused on the strong transmission for light with wavelengths longer than the array periodicity. The peculiar phenomena of extraordinary optical transmission (EOT) were first observed experimentally in aperture arrays that penetrate metallic films. In those experiments, the diameters of metallic holes were much smaller than the wavelengths. EOT findings have motivated research of the transmission properties of single holes, hole arrays, and various shapes of holes. The increased interest is concerned with the transmission properties of metallic nanostructures, although the mechanisms of EOT are a matter of debate. Over the last few decades, various types of aperture structures have been investigated, as shown in Fig. 4.1. Optical transmission has been expanded from a single aperture with diverse geometries to apertures surrounded by periodic structures. Various types of aperture structures provide a multitude of optical properties, especially transmission efficiency and local field enhancements. These properties have been achieved at arbitrary resonant wavelengths of interest ranging from visible light to terahertz, even the acoustic wave.
author_names: Yongqian Li
title: Extraordinary Transmission through Subwavelength Apertures
year: 2017