Using liquid crystals to control surface plasmons

ABSTRACT

We propose using a liquid crystal (LC) layer placed on top of graphene ribbons or a graphene monolayer to control surface plasmons. The plasmon frequency depends on the LC director orientation which can be controlled by an applied voltage. The surface plasmons excitation is sensitive to the light polarisation and can be manipulated using the orientation properties of LCs. We further suggest using periodically anchored LCs instead of a relief grating to excite and control the plasmons in monolayer graphene. The suggested scheme can be used as the basis for a tunable optical filter or a modulator.

Graphical Abstract

KEYWORDS:

• Tunable graphene plasmonics
• liquid crystal
• graphene ribbons
• monolayer graphene

Acknowledgements

This work was partly supported by the EOARD/STCU Grant P652a. The authors would like to thank I. P. Pinkevych and V. I. Zadorozhnii from the University of Kyiv for many helpful discussions.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the European Office of Aerospace Research and Development [Grant Number EOARD 15IOE011], STCU Grant P652a.