Flexible long-range surface plasmon polariton single-mode waveguide for optical interconnects

We present the design, fabrication and characterization of long-range surface plasmon polariton waveguide arrays with materials, mainly silicones, carefully selected with the aim to be used as mechanically flexible single-mode optical interconnections, the so-called “plasmonic arc” working at 1.55µm. The fabricated plasmonic arcs show a TM/TE polarization ratio of ~25 dB. By using the cut-back method, the straight propagation loss at 1.55µm is estimated to 0.5-1 dB/mm and coupling loss to ~1-2 dB/facet after dicing. In the free-standing S-curved configuration, the bending loss of single cladding plasmonic arc is 2.2-2.8 dB/90° at bending radius 2.5 mm. For double cladding plasmonic arcs, it is decreased to 0.7-1.7 dB/90° for the same radius. The coupling loss with single-mode glass PCB waveguides is estimated to be 1.7 dB/interface in the best condition.