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Patent abstract
A plasmon detector comprising a strip-shaped waveguide of material suitable for generating a plasmon when excited by an incident beam of light; the waveguide is suitable for guiding the plasmon along its length direction (x). The detector includes at least one probe electrode arranged in ohmic contact with a minimum area overlap of the waveguide on one of its opposite side edges and a reference electrode arranged in ohmic contact with one of the opposite ends of the waveguide. A direct current electric potential difference (δV) can be measured between the probe electrode and the reference electrode; the potential difference is related to an alternating current electric field of the plasmon propagating in the waveguide.