基于电光聚合物,提出了一种结构简单,尺寸小,效率高的表面等离激元(SPP)调制器.该调制器采用M-Z干涉仪结构的金属波导,金属周围是均匀极化后的电光聚合物,通过在金属波导两臂间加电压对聚合物折射率进行调制,折射率调制再通过M-Z干涉仪结构转化为对金属波导中SPP强度的调制.通过求解金属波导附近的电场分布,并结合SPP场分布的特点,在理论上说明了这种结构可以通过外加电压有效地调制金属波导输出端SPP的强度,调制所需的半波电压约为2.8 V.
A simple, high efficiency and mini-sized surface plasmon polariton (SPP) modulator based on electro-optic polymer is proposed. The modulator is constructed by metallic stripes of Maeh-Zender (M-Z) interferometric structure and with electro-optic polymer surrounding the stripes. The reflectivity index of the electro-optic polymer is modulated when the modulating voltage is applied to the two arms of the M-Z interferometer. Through the M-Z interferometer, the modulation of the reflectivity index can be transferred into the modulation of the SPP intensity. By calculating the electric field near the metallic stripes and taking the distribution of SPP field into account, the working principle of the SPP modulator is demonstrated in detail and the half-wave modulating voltage is evaluated as 2.8 V.