Demonstration of integrated optics elements based on long-ranging surface plasmon polaritons.

An experimental investigation of long-ranging surface plasmonpolariton waves guided along thin finite width Au structures embedded in a homogeneous background dielectric is reported. The operation of key passive integrated optics elements such as straight waveguides, s-bends, y-junctions and couplers is demonstrated at a free space optical wavelength of 1550 nm. The influence of some important design parameters on the performance of these elements is presented and discussed.