Plasmonic waveguide as an efficient transducer for high-density data storage

A design of high optical throughput nanoscale light sources has been proposed based on plasmonic wedge waveguides. It provides localization of the 1500 nm wavelength light at the output of less than 30 x 30 nm(2) area at about 80% coupling efficiency from a dielectric loaded surface plasmon polariton waveguide and nearly 90% efficient power deposition in the absorbing media placed at the output for an experimentally viable 10 nm apex radius of the wedge. Such nanoscale light sources can be useful for high-density data storage, scanning near-field optical microscopy, and sensing. (C) 2009 American Institute of Physics. [doi: 10.1063/1.3257701]