Polarization insensitive self-collimation waveguide in square lattice annular photonic crystals

The frequency bands for self-collimation at both TE and TM polarizations in square lattice annular photonic crystals are studied systematically by plane-wave expansion and finite difference time domain methods. By increasing the inner ring radius or reducing the outer ring radius, the self-collimation band will be moved to a lower frequency. Compared with the TM modes, TE ones have different frequency sensitivities to both the inner ring radius and outer ring radius tuning. Using these features, a polarization insensitive self-collimation waveguide in a high dielectric contrast system with bandwidth up to 102.9 nm is demonstrated as an example of the implementation of photonic integration circuits.     

Polarization beam splitter based on photonic crystal self-collimation Mach-Zehnder interferometer

A polarization beam splitter based on a self-collimation Mach-Zehnder interferometer (SMZI) in a hole-type silicon photonic crystal was proposed and numerically demonstrated. Utilizing polarization dependence of the transmission spectra of the SMZI and polarization peak matching (PPM) method, the SMZI can work as a polarization beam splitter (PBS) by selecting appropriate path length difference in the structure. Because of its intrinsic operating principle, the PBS possesses high polarization extinction ratios (PERs). As its dimensions are only several operating wavelengths, the PBS may have practical applications in photonic integrated circuits.     

Extraordinary wavelength dependence of self-collimation effect in photonic crystal with low structural symmetry

We present the optical properties of a new type of photonic crystal (PC) named star-shaped PC (STAR-PC) with anomalous equi-frequency contours. Intentionally introducing low-symmetry in the primitive unit cell gives rise to progressively tilting flat contours, which are observed in the fifth band of the transverse magnetic mode. Due to the intrinsic dispersive feature of the proposed PCs, i.e. tilted self-collimation, the incident signal with different wavelengths can be successfully separated in a spatial domain without introducing any corrugations or complexities inside the structure. We show numerical investigations of wavelength selective characteristic of the proposed PC structure in both time and frequency domains. The STAR-PC approach can be considered a good candidate for the wavelength division applications in the design of compact photonic integrated circuits. For the purpose of wavelength separation implementations, the proposed structure may operate within the wavelength interval of 1484.5–1621.5 nm with a broad bandwidth of 8.82%. The corresponding inter-channel crosstalk value is as low as ?19 dB and the calculated transmission efficiency is above 97%.     

Photonic drop splitters based on self-collimation ring resonators in a silicon photonic crystal

We report here 1 × 3 and 1 × 2 photonic drop splitters (PDSs) with different splitting ratios based on self-collimation ring resonators (SCRRs) in an air-hole silicon photonic crystal. An 1 × 3 PDS consists of four beam splitters and an 1 × 2 PDS consists of three beam splitters and one mirror. Light propagates in the PDSs employing self-collimation effect. The theoretical transmission spectra at different drop ports in PDSs were analyzed with the multiple-beam interference theory. Then they were investigated with the finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) simulation technique. The simulation results agree well with the theoretical prediction. For the drop wavelength 1550 nm, the free spectral range of the PDSs is about 29 nm, which almost covers the whole optical communication C-band window. Because of small dimensions, air-hole structure and whole-silicon material, the proposed PDSs hold great potentials for applications in photonic integrated circuits.     

Wavelength-division-multiplexing system with photonic crystal self-collimation and co-directional coupling effect

A wavelength-division-multiplexing system with high compactness and extremely simple structures is designed and analyzed theoretically for optical communication wavelengths. The structure consists of a self-collimation region, a coupler, a coupling section, and two arbitrarily bent periodic dielectric waveguides (PDWGs). Operation principle of the devices is based on self-collimation and directional coupling mechanism. The equal-frequency contours (EFCs) are nearly flat from 0.17–0.22 (2πc/a), thus the self-collimation region acts as a multiplexer. Operation principle of the demultiplexer is based on directional coupling in two parallel periodic dielectric waveguides. The device performances have been evaluated by the finite-difference time-domain simulations coupled with perfectly matched layer (PML) boundary conditions.     

1 × 3 Beam splitter based on self-collimation effect in two-dimensional photonic crystals

The analysis and simulation result of a 1 × 3 beam splitter in a two-dimensional square-lattice photonic crystal is presented in this paper, where the light is self-collimated as dictated by the self-collimation effect. The frequency and the direction of propagation of the self-collimated beam are obtained by the equal-frequency contours (EFCs) plot which is calculated by plane wave expansion method. Then a line defect is introduced by simultaneously varying the radii and the dielectric constant of the rods along the proper direction, the self-collimated beam propagation in such structure is simulated by the two-dimensional finite-difference time-domain (2D FDTD) method with perfectly matched layer absorbing boundary conditions. The simulation results show that the self-collimated beam can be split into three beams. With the same principle, a 1 × 7 beam splitter is realized by introducing different line defects along (X direction. Such devices can greatly enhance photonic crystals for usage in high-density optical integrated circuits.     

Laser nanosources based on planar photonic crystals as new platforms for nanophotonic devices

Two-dimensional photonic crystal lasers have been fabricated on III–V semiconductor slabs. Tuning of the spontaneous emission in micro and nanocavities has been achieved by accurate control of the slab thickness. Different structures, some of them of new application to photonic crystal lasers, have been fabricated like the Suzuki-phase or the coupled-cavity ring-like resonators. Laser emission has been obtained by pulsed optical pumping. Optical characterization of the lasing modes have been performed showing one or more laser peaks centred around 1.55 μm. Far field characterization of the emission pattern has been realized showing different patterns depending on the geometrical shape of the structures. These kinds of devices may be used as efficient nanolaser sources for optical communications or optical sensors.     

Archimedes 32,4,3,4结构光子晶体中与偏振无关的自准直分束器

通过等频图分析并结合时域有限差分法法模拟, 在Archimedes 3²,4,3,4结构排列的二维光子晶体中同一频率下同时实现了电磁波两种偏振态的自准直. 研究发现,在该结构光子晶体中引入缺陷,当线缺陷宽度改变时, TE和TM两种偏振态光束的分束效果将会随之变化.由此通过控制缺陷宽度,分别实现了两种偏振态光束的50% ∶50%分束以及90°大角度光折弯,分束和折弯的效率都较为理想,为未来设计基于光子晶体的新型光子学器件提供了一种新的思路.     

The three-dimensional photonic crystals coated by gold nanoparticles

We report on the fabrication of metallodielectric photonic crystals by means of interference lithography and subsequent coating by gold nanoparticles. The grating is realized in a SU-8 photoresist using a He-Cd laser of wavelength 442 nm. The use of the wavelength found within the photoresist low absorption band enables fabricating structures that are uniform in depth. Parameters of the photoresist exposure and development for obtaining a porous structure corresponding to an orthorhombic lattice are determined. Coating of photonic crystals by gold nanoparticles is realized by reduction of chloroauric acid by a number of reductants in a water solution. This research shows that the combination of interference lithography and chemical coating by metal is attractive for the fabrication of metallodielectric three-dimensionally periodic microstructures.     

Novel optical modulator using silicon photonic crystals

We propose a novel compact and integrated optical modulator, which consists of p–i–n silicon photonic crystals with triangular lattice and a line defect waveguide. The device operation is based on a dynamic shift of the photonic band gap (PBG), which induced change in the silicon refractive index by the free carrier injection. We have numerically analyzed and investigated its light modulation performance by using plane wave expansion (PWE) method and finite-difference time-domain method. With small size, rapid response time and high extinct ratio, the designed optical modulator can be used in photonic integrated circuits.     

Properties of defect modes in one-dimensional symmetric defective photonic crystals

We theoretically investigate the properties of defect modes in one-dimensional symmetric defective photonic crystals. We consider three defective photonic crystal structures, air/[(AB)^NsA^α(BA)^Ns]^Np/air, air/[(AB)^NsAB^βA(BA)^Ns]^Np/air, and air/{[(AB)^NsAB^βA(BA)^Ns]B^γ}^Np−1[(AB)^NsAB^βA(BA)^Ns]/air, where A and B are respectively taken to be the high- and low-index dielectric materials. The first has a defect layer of A^α, the second has a composite defect, AB^βA, and the third has a interleaving defect B^γ. The effect of thickness on the defect mode is studied by varying the parameters α, β, and γ, respectively, for the above model structures. It is found that the positions and the number of defect modes can be significantly changed due to the change in the defect thickness. In addition, by increasing the repeated number N_p, we can have multiple defect modes, leading to a possible design of tunable multichannel filter.     

Antireflection film in one-dimensional metallo-dielectric photonic crystals

We calculated the transmittance of a one-dimensional (1D) metallo-dielectric photonic crystal (MDPC) in the optical region including the absorption losses in metal layers. The structure consists of five Ag and four GaN layers stacked alternately. When we add an antireflection coating to each end of the stack, the transmittance of the MDPC is increased twice as much and the oscillations in the transmission spectrum are also smoothed out compared with the case without them. The transmittance for oblique incident angles is also increased by the addition of two antireflection layers at the ends of the 1D MDPC.     

Superprism properties in 2D polymer photonic crystals at high normal frequencies

The superprism effects of higher bands, i.e., for normal frequencies of higher than one, in two-dimensional (2D) polymer photonic crystals (PCs) are investigated. It is shown that in a polymer PC of triangular symmetry with filling factor of about 31%, the gradual transition of the hexagonal into triangular equi-frequency dispersion contours leads to a strong superprism in the 6th band at a normal frequency of 1.2. This dispersion is more prominent than those observed in the lower bands in 2D PCs. Also, this requires a lattice constant longer than the concerned wavelength. Furthermore, in a 2D polymer PC with a filling factor of about 83% a strong discontinuous superprism effect occurs at normal frequencies higher than one, which is due to an abrupt transition between two modes with the refraction angles of opposite signs. The effect can be exploited for switching applications as demonstrated in the paper.     

Enhanced complete photonic band gap in the optimized planar diamond structure

The diamond photonic crystal with dielectric rods has been modified to enlarge the fundamental band gap. By planarizing the diamond structure and reducing the thickness of the hexagonal meshes, the band gap can be increased substantially. The band gap is 29% for a refractive index contrast of 3.6. The modified structure is amenable to fabrication at optical and infrared wavelengths using state-of-the-art silicon-processing methods. Transfer matrix calculations demonstrate a large attenuation within the band gap.     

Band gap studies of 2D photonic crystals with hybrid scatterers

Two-dimensional (2D) photonic crystals (PCs) of a square lattice with dielectric hybrid rods in air are proposed; these PCs consist of a square rod at the center of the unit cell and additional circular rods with their outermost edges against the middle of each side of the lattice unit cell. The band gap structures of PCs can be tailored and optimized by rotating the square rods and adding circular rods to the lattice unit cell. The variation of bands near the complete photonic band gap boundaries, due to some specific modes, is sensitive to certain structural parameters of the system. The results can be understood by analyzing the spatial energy distribution of the electromagnetic fields. Based on such a field analysis, a novel interpretative model is proposed. The PC can be fabricated easily and operated in the microwave region and, hence, should be suitable for applications in new microwave devices.     

1 × 4 optical multiplexer based on the self-collimation effect of 2D photonic crystal

In this paper, a novel 1 × 4 optical multiplexer (OMUX) based on the two dimensional photonic crystal embed cascaded Mach–Zehnder interferometer (MZI) employing self-collimation effect was proposed and its performance were numerically demonstrated. The 1 × 4 OMUX consists of four beam splitters and five mirrors. Light propagates in the OMUX employing self-collimation effect. The theoretical transmission spectra at different output ports of OMUX were analyzed with the theory of light interference. Then they were investigated with the finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) simulation technique. The simulation results indicate the cascaded Mach–Zehnder interferometer can work as a 1 × 4 optical multiplexer by selecting path length in the structure properly. For the drop wavelength 1550 nm, the free spectral range of the OMUX is about 24 nm, which almost covers the whole optical communication C-band window. The presented device that has no only a compact size but also a high output efficiency, may have practical applications in photonic integrated circuits.     

a-Si:H based two-dimensional photonic crystals

We describe the fabrication processes of silicon-based two-dimensional photonic crystals (2D-PCs) with a photonic band gap in the near-IR range. The procedures involve electron beam lithography followed by an anisotropic etching step of hydrogenated amorphous silicon thin films deposited by plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition. Micrometric and submicrometric arrays of cylindrical holes are transferred using a poly-methylmethacrylate resist layer as a mask. A careful comparison between standard parallel plate reactive ion etching and inductively coupled plasma etching techniques is performed, aimed at obtaining periodic structures with high aspect ratio and good profile sharpness.     

Modification of photonic properties in porphyrin-infiltrated opal crystals

Structural, optical and magnetic properties of porphyrin-infiltrated opal hybrid structures were investigated. Bulk samples of synthetic opal were grown by sedimentation technique from colloidal solution of SiO₂ spheres of diameter 250 nm. The structure of the samples was examined by atomic force microscopy. The photonic properties of crystals were investigated by optical measurements in transmission and reflection modes. The stop band was observed in the region 510–550 nm. The photonic properties of synthetic opal crystals were modified by infiltration with aqueous basic solution of iron–porphyrin (FeTPPS) of concentration 1.0 mM. In hybrid samples the absorption bands typical of FeTPPS were observed in the vicinity of the opal stop band. Magnetic properties of FeTPPS-infiltrated opal samples have been studied at 5–300 K in magnetic fields up to 5 T. The FeTPPS-infiltrated opal crystals can be considered as the structures perspective for magnetophotonic devices.     

Morphology of periodic nanostructures for photonic crystals grown by glancing angle deposition

An enhancement of the glancing angle deposition (GLAD) technique called PhiSweep was used to grow slanted columns of silicon and titanium dioxide onto patterned substrates. The PhiSweep technique involves periodically rotating the substrate back and forth during the deposition process, which reduces column fanning caused by anisotropy in the shadowing conditions. The patterned substrates consisted of a tetragonal array of hillocks with 100, 200, and 300 nm periodicities and were fabricated using electron beam lithography. The PhiSweep method alters the tilt angle of the slanted columns compared with those grown using traditional GLAD. We present a derivation of the tilt angle of the slanted columns as a function of the parameters of the PhiSweep technique. The tilt angles of the silicon and titanium dioxide films were measured and agree with the predicted values. The films fabricated using the PhiSweep method are compared with similar films grown using traditional GLAD. The PhiSweep technique produced films with substantially less column fanning than those grown by traditional GLAD. This reduction in column fanning has extended the size range over which periodic GLAD structures, such as square spiral photonic crystals, can be grown.     

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用时域有限差分法研究了电磁波在等离子体光子晶体中的传播特性。数值模拟中使用完全匹配层吸收边界条件,计算了电磁波通过等离子体光子晶体的反射和透射系数。讨论了等离子体密度、等离子体温度、介电常数比和引入缺陷层对等离子体光子晶体光子带隙的影响。