Graphene plasmons isolator based on non-reciprocal coupling

In this paper we propose a graphene plasmons isolator based on non-reciprocal coupling within double graphene layer waveguide structure on a magneto-optical substrate. The difference in modal indices of graphene plasmons in opposite directions enables non-reciprocal coupling, which is theoretically investigated via coupled mode theory (CMT) and shows good agreement with numerical finite elements methods (FEM). The non-reciprocal coupling endows such system functionalities as magnetically controlled "plasmons circulator" or "plasmons isolator". For the latter case, systematical investigations of the insertion losses and isolation ratios with respect to the structural parameters, material properties, environmental parameters, fabrication errors as well as dielectric damping are presented. Theoretical investigation has shown an isolation ratio as 42 dB. The proposed plasmons circulator and isolator may serve as potential building blocks in graphene plasmons circuits. (C)2015 Optical Society of America