Theory of optical amplification with plasma in waveguide structures

A novel theory of an optical amplifier device is proposed utilizing plasma resonance carried by electrons. The interaction between photons and driftin g plasmons is based on a space-charge wave with longitudinal electric field components within a waveguide structure. By solving the wave equations und er the waveguide constraint, it is found that within the original cutoff ra nge, an amplifying mode appears. The operating wavelength range is the infr ared one, from submillimeter to micrometer waves; Some accompanying conside rations are shown for a practical realization of the devices. The present t heory of the plasma interaction under a constraint is extended to various w aveguide structures. Some examples of optical interconnections on LSI utili zing dielectric waveguides, including photonic bandgap devices, are describ ed. The physical concept of this effect on the constrained plasma wave tran smission is discussed from the viewpoint of the eigenvalue problem.