Hybrid all-optical infrared metal-insulator-metal plasmonic switch incorporating photonic crystal bandgap structures

Abstract A novel hybrid all-optical infrared switch based on metal-insulator-metal plasmonic and one dimensional photonic crystal structures is introduced in this paper. A photonic crystal lattice composed of two different (low and high refractive index) Kerr materials is located at the center of the switch. Two plasmonic metal-insulator-metal waveguides are used to transfer the data signal. Also, two dielectric waveguides are used as input and output pump ports. The existence of two separate paths for data and pump signals results in good isolation between such signals. The photonic crystal lattice creates a photonic bandgap region with sharp transmission edges in the data signal path. The created edges in data signal path can be used for the switching mechanism. The proposed structure can operate as an all-optical switch using different Kerr materials. The benefits of the proposed switch are having isolated signal and control ports and also its versatile topology. The switch can easily be redesigned and adapted with different Kerr materials for different applications. Furthermore, since a hybrid photonic crystal-plasmonic topology is used, it benefits both from the advantages of plasmonic and PhC structures. Based on the mentioned advantages, the proposed switch can be used as a basis to design other complex optical circuits.