Surface Plasmon Sensor
Application Notes
This application example shows how RSoft’s FullWAVE simulation tool can be used to model a surface plasmon-based spatial multiplexer. The device is designed to couple light into one of several subwavelength metal-strip waveguides by changing the angle of the incoming light. It uses a circular slit in a metal film to generate surface plasmon resonances that focus light at different points on the surface. By changing the angle of the incoming laser light, the focus point shifts, allowing light to be directed into different waveguides.
Using FullWAVE, several 3D simulations were run to find the optimal angles for coupling light into each waveguide. The results show how the light can be steered by adjusting the angle of illumination.
FullWAVE also makes it possible to study how changes to the structure, such as metal thickness, fabrication errors or misalignment, might affect performance. These studies help improve the device design and make it more effective for real-world use. Surface plasmon devices like this one are promising for faster optical connections within computer chips, and FullWAVE provides the tools needed to design and analyze them in detail.