ABSTRACT Photonic components are superior to electronic ones in terms of operational bandwidth, but the diffraction limit of light poses a significant challenge to the miniaturization and

high-density integration of optical circuits. The main approach to circumvent this problem is to exploit the hybrid nature of surface plasmon polaritons (SPPs), which are light waves coupled

to free electron oscillations in a metal1,2 that can be laterally confined below the diffraction limit using subwavelength metal structures3,4,5,6,7,8. However, the simultaneous realization

of strong confinement and a propagation loss sufficiently low for practical applications has long been out of reach. Channel SPP modes—channel plasmon polaritons (CPPs)8—are electromagnetic

straight subwavelength grooves12. Here we report the design, fabrication and characterization of CPP-based subwavelength waveguide components operating at telecom wavelengths: Y-splitters,

Mach–Zehnder interferometers and waveguide–ring resonators. We demonstrate that CPP guides can indeed be used for large-angle bending and splitting of radiation, thereby enabling the

realization of ultracompact plasmonic components and paving the way for a new class of integrated optical circuits. Access through your institution Buy or subscribe This is a preview of

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(2004) Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar  Download references ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS This work was supported by the European Network of Excellence, PLASMO-NANO-DEVICES and STREP SPP. AUTHOR

INFORMATION AUTHORS AND AFFILIATIONS * Department of Physics and Nanotechnology, Aalborg University, Skjernvej 4A, DK-9220 Øst, Aalborg, Denmark Sergey I. Bozhevolnyi & Valentyn S.

Volkov * ISIS, CNRS UMR 7006, Université Louis Pasteur, 8 allée Monge, BP 70028, 67083, Strasbourg, France Eloïse Devaux, Jean-Yves Laluet & Thomas W. Ebbesen Authors * Sergey I.

Bozhevolnyi View author publications You can also search for this author inPubMed Google Scholar * Valentyn S. Volkov View author publications You can also search for this author inPubMed 

Google Scholar * Eloïse Devaux View author publications You can also search for this author inPubMed Google Scholar * Jean-Yves Laluet View author publications You can also search for this

author inPubMed Google Scholar * Thomas W. Ebbesen View author publications You can also search for this author inPubMed Google Scholar CORRESPONDING AUTHOR Correspondence to Sergey I.

Bozhevolnyi. ETHICS DECLARATIONS COMPETING INTERESTS Reprints and permissions information is available at npg.nature.com/reprintsandpermissions. The authors declare no competing financial

interests. RIGHTS AND PERMISSIONS Reprints and permissions ABOUT THIS ARTICLE CITE THIS ARTICLE Bozhevolnyi, S., Volkov, V., Devaux, E. _et al._ Channel plasmon subwavelength waveguide

components including interferometers and ring resonators. _Nature_ 440, 508–511 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1038/nature04594 Download citation * Received: 07 November 2005 * Accepted: 18

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