FDTD analysis of photonic crystal defect layers filled with liquid crystals

Dielectric and metallic photonic crystals comprising nematic liquid crystal materials as defect layers or elements are investigated by the Finite Difference Time Domain (FDTD) method. Appropriate formulations of the FDTD algorithm, for the simulation of anisotropic and dispersive media as well as periodic geometries, are utilised and combined with the proper absorbing and periodic boundary conditions. The spectral properties of the presented structures are tuned by means of applying static electric fields across the defect layers, thus affecting the molecular orientation of the liquid crystal material. Numerical results show that sufficient tuning ranges are achieved, requiring low operating voltages. Moreover, high and sharp resonance peaks are observed.