Design of a Compact High-Performance Electro-Optic Plasmonic Switch

Here, we report a compact high-performance electro-optic (E-O) plasmonic switch constructed in a directional coupler like structure, including a plasmonic waveguide and an optical waveguide, and operated around the telecommunication wavelength of 1500 nm. An organic crystal, 4-dimethyl-amino-N-methyl-4-stilbazolium tosylate, is adopted to serve as both the E-O material of the switch and the dielectric in the plasmonic waveguide. The variation of phase matching between the two waveguides is achieved by applying a voltage as low as 22.5 V on the E-O material, so that the optical wave can be switched between the two output ports. Simulation analysis using finite-element method was employed for the design of the E-O plasmonic switch. For the optimized dimensions, a transmittance up to 66% and an extinction ratio nearly 10 dB are achieved.