Overview
Topic status: We're looking for students to study this topic.
The guiding of light in sub-wavelength regions is opening up new avenues in integrated photonics, information processing, quantum optics, sensing and solar cells. The most common sub-wavelength waveguide is a plasmon waveguide which consists of a metallic nano-structure uniform in one direction. An incident light beam striking the waveguide will result in oscillations of the conduction electrons of the metal, resulting in an electron wave known as a plasmon. This plasmon propagates along the waveguide, and when it reaches the end of the waveguide it generates light waves. Though many types of plasmon waveguides exist and have been demonstrated in the telecom wavelengths, few have been fabricated in the visible. Waveguides operating in the visible are often smaller than those operating in the telecom, and are thus of vital importance for the development of nano-scale optical circuits.
Hypothesis/Aims: The aim of this project is to fabricate a plasmon waveguide which can operate at visible wavelengths and confine light in two dimensions.
Approaches: Fabrication will be done using thermal deposition of metal films and lithography. The structures will be characterised either in house and/or at CSIRO, Victoria. Characterisation will be done using prism coupling and detection of reflected light, or microscopy. Some numerical simulations will be needed for choosing the waveguide parameters.
- Study level
- Honours
- Supervisors
- QUT
- Organisational unit
Science and Engineering Faculty
- Research area
- Contact
- Please contact the supervisor.
Dr Kristy Vernon
