Rigorous coupled-wave analysis of a multi-layered plasmonic integrated refractive index sensor

We apply the rigorous coupled-wave analysis (RCWA) to the design of a multi-layer plasmonic refractive index sensor based on metallic nanohole arrays integrated with a Ge-on-Si photodetector. RCWA simulations benefit from modularity, frequency-domain computation, and a relatively simple computational setup. These features make the application of RCWA particularly interesting in the case of the simulation and optimization of multi-layered devices in conjunction with plasmonic nanostructures, where other methods can be computationally too expensive for multi-parameter optimization. Our application example serves as a demonstration that RCWA can be utilized as a low-cost, efficient method for device engineering. (C) 2021 Optical Society of America under the terms of the OSA Open Access Publishing Agreement

Automated summary

The study utilized RCWA for designing a multi-layer plasmonic refractive index sensor with metallic nanohole arrays, showcasing its benefits of modular design, frequency-domain computation, and simple computational setup. This approach is particularly useful for optimizing multi-layered devices in conjunction with plasmonic nanostructures, providing a low-cost and efficient method for device engineering.