Nonscattering Photodetection in the Propagation of Unidirectional Surface Plasmon Polaritons Embedded with Graphene

Recently, nanoscale light manipulation using surface plasmon polaritons (SPPs) has received considerable research attention. The conventional method of detecting SPPs is through light scattering or using bulky Si or Ge photodetectors. However, these bulky systems limit the application of nanophotonic circuits. In this study, the light-matter interaction between graphene and SPP was investigated. For realizing an improved integration in nanocircuits, single-layer graphene was added to asymmetric SPP nanoantenna arrays for nonscattering detection in the near field. The developed device is capable of detecting the controlled propagation of SPPs with a photoresponsivity of 15 mA/W, which paves the way for the new-generation on-chip optical communication.

Automated summary

Recently, there has been significant research on nanoscale light manipulation using surface plasmon polaritons (SPPs). This study investigates the light-matter interaction between graphene and SPPs, and proposes a non-scattering detection method by integrating single-layer graphene into asymmetric SPP nanoantenna arrays. The developed device shows a high photoresponsivity of 15 mA/W, which holds promise for on-chip optical communication in the future.