Optical filter effect of the metal–dielectric–metal waveguide with stub structure

The optical filter effect of the metal–dielectric–metal (MDM) waveguide with stub structure is investigated with surface plasmons (SPs) interference theory and simulated using finite difference time domain (FDTD) method. The transmission process of the surface plasmons propagating through the stub structure is discussed in detail, and testified by different time step field intensity images of FDTD simulation. It is verified by the FDTD simulation that the oscillation periods of the transmission curves are proportional to the wavelengths, and the number of the wavelength of the standing wave in the stub is linear to the stub length d. When the monochromatic continuous waves are incident, the transmissions are also periodically changed with the length of the stub. The shorter wavelengths present better filter sensitivity than longer wavelengths. The above optical filter effect implies that the MDM waveguide with stub structure can be applied in the fields of photonic integration devices and sensors.