Multicomponent-multilayer hybrid plasmonic leaky-wave optical antenna with improved directivity and matching

Optical antennas are known as components that enhance interaction between energy of guided modes of optical waveguides and optical free space modes to grow the efficiency of optoelectronic devices. In optical wireless communications, radiation specifications such as efficiency and directivity, and impedance matching are crucial parameters of optical antennas. In addition, compatibility between optical antennas and waveguides that feed them is significant consideration. In some works, optical antennas are designed to transfer energy to/from plasmonic waveguides based on leaky wave concept. In some investigations, hybrid plasmonic leaky-wave optical antennas were designed and optimized to radiate efficiently in conventional plasmonic hybrid structures (a material with low refractive index (SiO₂) is located between a metal, and another material with higher refractive index (Si)). For further improvement, by perturbing conventional structures and adding an extra layer such as silicon carbide (SiC) or nickel silicide (NiSi₂) between SiO₂ and Si, controlling radiation confinements were improved. In this work, a novel structure of hybrid plasmonic leaky-wave optical antenna is proposed that has improvement in impedance matching and directivity between 192 and 197 THz compare with previous works. Here, Electron Beam Lithography (EBL) nanopatterning procedure is suggested for fabrication process to achieve multicomponent-multilayer hybrid plasmonic leaky-wave optical antenna.