Interferometric measurement of far infrared plasmons via resonant homodyne mixing

Opt Express. 2014 Jun 30;22(13):16254-66. doi: 10.1364/OE.22.016254.

Abstract

We present an electrically tunable terahertz two dimensional plasmonic interferometer with an integrated detection element that down converts the terahertz fields to a DC signal. The integrated detector utilizes a resonant plasmonic homodyne mixing mechanism that measures the component of the plasma waves in-phase with an excitation field functioning as the local oscillator. Plasmonic interferometers with two independently tuned paths are studied. These devices demonstrate a means for developing a spectrometer-on-a-chip where the tuning of electrical length plays a role analogous to that of physical path length in macroscopic spectroscopic tools such as Fourier transform interferometers.

Publication types

  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.