Modeling, Simulation and Design of Plasmonic Nanoarchitectures for Ultrafast Circuit Systems.

Abstract

The dissertation focuses on a new ultrafast circuit system based on plasmonic nanoarchitectures. To achieve this goal, we investigate novel plasmonic devices to integrate with nanoelectronics, resulting in enormous signal functionality, integration and computing speed. First, we concentrate on metallic nanoparticles arrays and metallic nanowires because these plasmonic nanoarchitectures provide a promising way to localize the light below the diffraction limit, thus yielding the feasibility of integration of optical–electronic devices. Specifically, we develop SPICE equivalent circuit models which can be easily simulated together with current electronic circuit components. Second, we introduce new plasmonic switches using metallic metamaterials, because surface plasmon modes generate weakly localized surface plasmon polariton confinement in the RF-THz spectrum. Specifically, we build holes, grooves, and dimples at the subwavelength scale, thus creating spoof surface plasmon polariton modes similar to surface plasmon polariton modes existing in the IR-Optical spectrum. Finally, we provide metallic photonic crystal slabs to increase the nanophotodiode sensitivity. Furthermore, the signal detection emitted by nanometer atoms and molecules can be significantly enhanced by increasing the transmission of light through the metallic photonic slab. Thus, the artificially designed metallic photonic crystal slab allows us to obtain the high sensitivity needed for ultrafast circuit systems.