Plasmonics – the missing link between nanoelectronics and microphotonics

Plasmonics is an exciting new device technology that has recently emerged. It exploits the unique optical properties of metallic nanostructures to enable routing and manipulation of light at the nanoscale. A tremendous synergy can be attained by integrating plasmonic, electronic, and conventional dielectric photonic devices on the same chip and taking advantage of the strengths of each technology. We will provide a perspective on future directions and possibilities for integrating plasmonic devices on a Si chip.