All-optical logic operation of polarized light signals in highly nonlinear silicon hybrid plasmonic microring resonators

All-optical logic operation is theoretically demonstrated by means of polarization-dependent four-wave mixing (FWM) processes in a highly nonlinear silicon hybrid plasmonic waveguide (HPWG) microring resonator. We design an ultra-compact (radii = 1 mu m) microring resonator (MRR) that is realized by using a silicon HPWG with the capacity for subwavelength-bending. The HPWG exhibits very high confinement (A(eff) similar to 0.045 mu m(2)) that can result in a remarkably high nonlinear parameter (gamma similar to 3000 W-1 m(-1)), given a highly nonlinear gap material. By manipulating the polarization properties of the pump and signals with a very low electric field (vertical bar E vertical bar similar to 10(8) Vm(-1)), all-optical NOT, NOR, and NAND logical operations are obtained through the FWM process. These compact all-optical nanoplasmonic devices are stable, fabrication simplified, and silicon on insulator (SOI) compatible. (C) 2015 Optical Society of America