Researchers at NIST have developed a nanoscale plasmonic phase modulator that could revolutionize high-speed data transmission. The device uses plasmons – tiny electron waves on metal surfaces – to transmit data at speeds potentially hundreds of times faster than current electronics.
The modulator consists of 11 gold strands forming bridges over a 23-micrometer gap. When a control voltage is applied, the strands bend, narrowing the gap and slowing the plasmons. This allows more than an extra half plasmonic wavelength to fit under the bridge, enabling optical switching.
The technology could be scaled down by a factor of 100 while maintaining performance, making it suitable for integration into existing and future computer architectures. The findings were published in Nature Photonics.
Keywords: Plasmonics, Nanomechanical, Phase Modulator, Optical Components
