Polarization-independent broadband plasmonic absorber based on a silicon-nanowire array decorated by gold nanoparticles at the optical regime

Abstract

We present a design for a plasmonic absorber that is composed of a hexagonal-packed silicon nanowires (SiNWs) array with gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) decoration. Simulations and experiments demonstrated that the proposed absorber achieves a broadband absorption. Its bandwidth over an absorption of 80% ranges from 400 nm to 1000 nm at 0 degree to 30 degrees incidence. It was also demonstrated that the plasmonic absorber is polarization-insensitive. Analyzing the field distributions in the structure, we find that the wideband absorption is ascribed to the formation of cavity modes in the SiNWs and surface plasmon polaritons on the AuNPs. Such a designed plasmonic structure with high-efficiency absorption can be served as a good optical absorber.