LASER WITH SUB-WAVELENGTH HOLE ARRAY IN METAL FILM

摘要

A sub-wavelength scale optical lasing device, for the controlled transfer of a signal in nano- and other small-scale technologies. An array of sub-wavelength size holes is first milled, or otherwise embedded, into a thin metal film. This film is combined with optically active media to compensate for losses of the metal. Optical signals are emitted in the active media, and then transferred to the metal so that surface plasmon polaritons are excited. Lasing occurs as a result of the compensation of plasmonic losses by the available optical gain.

主权项

1. A laser made of a metallic cavity for control of a propagation direction of a laser emission, comprising:
an array of holes perforated in a planar metallic thin film, the film serving as a resonant cavity, and optically active media integrated in close vicinity to the resonant cavity to compensate for plasmonic losses, wherein coupling between plasmonic resonances, occurring in each individual hole of the array of holes, provides an optical feedback for light amplification, thus permitting lasing in optical frequencies.