Photon confinement in one-dimensional photonic quantum-well structures of nanoporous silicon

Various combinations of periodically assembled nanoporous silicon layers with different refractive indices and thicknesses have been used to fabricate one-dimensional photonic quantum well structures, in which both the well and barrier regions consist of photonic crystals. The structures are operational in the regime of visible light. Quantized states resulting from the photonic confinement effect are observed, consistent with calculations using the transfer-matrix method. Behaviors of the photons in the structures can be well described by the effective wave-vector approach.     

Reflection chromaticity of cholesteric liquid crystals with sandwiched periodical isotropic defect layers

We study one-dimensional photonic crystals made of cholesteric liquid crystals with sandwiched isotropic defect layers. Based on the Berreman Fast 4 × 4 matrix method, the dispersion relation of one-dimensional photonic crystals is calculated and the corresponding reflection chromaticity is obtained. It is found that the color shift could be controlled by adjusting the thickness and refractive index of the isotropic defect layers. Compared with conventional structures, the reflection chromaticity of this structure is insensitive to the incident angle, if the thickness ratio of the cholesteric liquid crystals to that of the isotropic defect layers and the refractive index of periodical isotropic defect layers are properly set. Furthermore, the common forbidden bands for both left and right circular polarizations can be obtained, and we also take the wavelength-dependent refractive indices into consideration and obtain the reflected light chromaticity with the incident angle increasing. The proposed device can be used as a reflective color filter in the display industry.     

Omnidirectional reflection in one-dimensional ternary photonic crystals and photonic heterostructures

Designing dielectric systems to create omnidirectional band gaps (OBGs) is an attractive topic in the field of photonic band gap (PBG) structures. In this Letter, we propose a new approach to create OBGs by ternary photonic heterostructures (TPHs) composed of three kinds of materials with different refractive indices and obtain the formulae of the structures of TPHs, i.e., those of the thicknesses of materials and the number of sub-ternary photonic crystals. It may provide a powerful technique for designing the structures being able to produce OBGs by use of usual materials, lowcost materials, and materials with low refractive indices, etc.     

Simple expressions for the maximum omnidirectional bandgap of bilayer photonic crystals

We propose three dimensionless approximate expressions to predict the thickness filling factor, gap center, and gap width of the maximum omnidirectional gap (MODG) for various refractive indices in one-dimensional photonic crystals. These expressions are simple and do not include trigonometric or inverse trigonometric functions. It is easy to obtain the MODG from given refractive indices but also to estimate the refractive indices from the MODG based on the results.     

光子晶体中基于有效折射率接近零的光束准直出射

利用平面波展开法(PWM)和时域有限差分法(FDTD)研究了二维正方格子光子晶体靠近禁带边沿附近频率光波的传输特性.研究发现,若有效折射率接近于零,可出现光束从晶体表面准直出射的现象,且光束的出射方向只与晶体表面的取向有关,而与晶格取向无关.这种现象与自准直现象有很大不同.     

Study on optical gain of one-dimensional photonic crystals with active impurity

Localized fields in the defect mode of one-dimensional photonic crystals with active impurity are studied with the help of the theory of spontaneous emission from two-level atoms embedded in photonic crystals.Numerical simulations demonstrate that the enhancement of stimulated radiation, as well as the phenomena of transmissivity larger than unity and the abnormality of group velocity close to the edges of photonic band gap, are related to the negative imaginary part of the complex effective refractive index of doped layers. This means that the complex effective refractive index has a negative imaginary part, and that the impurity state with very high quality factor and great state density will occur in the photonic forbidden band if active impurity is introduced into the defect layer properly. Therefore, the spontaneous emission can be enhanced, the amplitude of stimulated emission will be very large and it occurs most probably close to the edges of photonic band gap with the fundamental reason, the group velocity close to the edges of band gap is very small or abnormal.     

二维正方晶格各向异性光子晶体缺陷模

为了得到对TM和TE模具有相同缺陷模的共振微腔,通过在完整各向异性碲介质柱二维正方光子晶体中,引入各向同性的介质圆柱作为点缺陷,利用超胞平面波展开法计算该光子晶体的缺陷模,系统计算了在同时改变点缺陷介质柱介电常数和半径两种情况下的两种偏振缺陷模的变化规律。结果表明,在完全禁带中,缺陷介质柱介电常数从5.44变化到38.44、半径与晶格常数的比从0.05变化到0.50的整个区域,均会出现对TM和TE模具有相同缺陷模,且随着介电常数的减小,缺陷模随着缺陷半径的变化趋于缓慢,归一化共振频率在0.241 8~0.243 2之间可调,在引入ε_e＜ε_o的各向异性介质柱缺陷时,亦可得到对TM和TE模具有相同缺陷模,且共振频率的可调范围增大,该研究为光子晶体器件的设计提供了理论依据。     

Tunable properties of light propagation in photonic liquid crystal fibers

Tunable properties of light propagation in photonic crystal fibers filled with liquid crystals, called photonic liquid crystal fibers (PLCFs) are presented. The propagation properties of PLCFs strongly depend on contrast between refractive indices of the solid core (pure silica glass) and liquid crystals (LCs) filing the holes of the fiber. Due to relatively strong thermo-optical effect, we can change the refractive index of the LC by changing its temperature. Numerical analysis of light propagation in PLCF, based on two simulation methods, such as finite difference (FD) and multipole method (MM) is presented. The numerical results obtained are in good agreement with our earlier experimental results presented elsewhere [1].     

Tunable lightwave propagation in two-dimensional hole-type photonic crystals infiltrated with nematic liquid crystal

Photonic crystals have many potential applications because of their ability to control lightwave propagation. We have investigated the tunability of lightwave propagation in two-dimensional hole-type photonic crystal structures. The linear waveguides can be obtained by the infiltration of liquid crystals into air holes in hole-type photonic crystal with square lattices. The refractive indices of liquid crystals can be changed by rotating the directors of liquid crystals. Therefore, we can control the lightwave propagation in two-dimensional hole-type photonic crystal structures. Such a mechanism of lightwave adjustment should open up a new application for designing components in photonic integrated circuits.     

光控光子晶体偏光片

提出了一种新颖的调节液晶光子晶体光子带隙的方法.光子晶体波导通过往二维三角形光子晶体的介质柱之间填充液晶得到，光诱导液晶取向以改变液晶的折射指数从而改变光子晶体的光子带隙.数值模拟结果表明：通过外界光场控制所填充的向列相液晶的方向可以对这种二维三角形介质柱光子晶体的禁带结构进行调节.与电场调制方法相比，该光控液晶取向技术具有响应速度快、结构简单的优点.这种可调光子晶体可用于制作新颖的光敏偏光片.     

二维点缺陷正方光子晶体的微腔结构

通过平面波展开法对由Al₂O₃介质棒在空气背景介质中构成含有点缺陷的二维正方光子晶体微腔结构进行研究,计算得出缺陷态能带以及缺陷态模场分布。缺陷模对应的电磁波波长为470~476nm。对该微腔结构的品质因数的求解,得出缺陷态光谱曲线。在光谱曲线中,随着传输波长的增大,将产生几个峰值,并且在475nm处的波动最为明显,反映出在475nm附近的电磁波段在缺陷处的光强较大。进一步利用全矢量等效折射率法研究该结构缺陷模频率的稳定性,得出等效折射率的变化曲线。从等效折射率变化曲线可以看出,当传输波长达到475nm时,该结构已经达到稳定传输的区域。含缺陷模的二维光子晶体微腔结构在光子晶体发光二极管以及高阈值半导体激光器等方面有着重要的应用价值。     

含负折射率材料的一维光子晶体的光学传输特性

采用光学传输矩阵方法,模拟研究了由正折射率材料和负折射率材料交替组成的一维光子晶体的光学传输特性.计算了这种含负折射率材料的一维光子晶体的透射谱和色散关系.结果表明,在正入射时,含负折射率材料的光子晶体的带隙要比传统的光子晶体要大得多,并具有狭窄的透射带,从光学薄膜理论的色散关系出发解释了形成上述现象的原因.讨论了在不同的偏振模式下,光以中心波长入射时,反射率随着入射角度的变化关系.发现含负折射率材料的一维光子晶体具有更好的角度特性,可以用来实现对中心波长的全方位反射.     

Modeling of the optical properties of porous silicon photonic crystals in the visible spectral range

Optical devices based on photonic crystals are of great interest because they can be efficiently used in laser physics and biosensing. Photonic crystals allow one to control the propagation of electromagnetic waves and to change the emission characteristics of luminophores embedded into photonic structures. One of the most interesting materials for developing one-dimensional photonic crystals is porous silicon. However, an important problem in application of this material is the control of the refractive index of layers by changing their porosity, as well as the refractive index dispersion. In addition, it is important to have the possibility of modeling the optical properties of structures to choose precisely select the fabrication parameters and produce one-dimensional photonic crystals with prescribed properties. In order to solve these problems, we used a mathematical model based on the transfer matrix method, using the Bruggeman model, and on the dispersion of silicon refractive index. We fabricated microcavities by electrochemical etching of silicon, with parameters determined by the proposed model, and measured their reflection spectra. The calculated results showed good agreement with experimental data. The model proposed allowed us to achieve a microcavity Q-factor of 160 in the visible region.     

复合周期的介质-液晶光子晶体研究

本文研究了掺入各向同性周期性介质层缺陷的一维复合周期胆甾型液晶光子晶体的禁带特性.发现同一般的胆甾型液晶不同,复合介质-液晶周期结构对左旋偏振入射光和右旋入射光都会出现共同禁带.当各向同性介质层占一个周期的厚度比例越小,左旋偏振光的禁带效应逐渐消失,而右旋偏振光的禁带则逐渐合并变大;且各向同性介质的折射率越大,则两种偏振光的禁带效应越明显,更容易出现共同禁带;通过调整厚度比,可以在可见光范围内出现对应红、绿、蓝色波长的禁带,从而可以用于液晶显示的反射式彩色滤光片. 关键词： 胆甾型液晶 光子晶体 禁带 缺陷     

Synthesis and Band Gap Control in Three-Dimensional Polystyrene Opal Photonic Crystals

High-quality three-dimensional polystyrene opal photonic crystals are fabricated by vertical deposition method. The transmission properties with different incident angles and different composite refractive index contrasts are experimentally and theoretically studied. Good agreement between the experiment and theory is achieved. We find that with the increasing incident angle, the gap position shifts to the short wavelength (blue shift) and the gap becomes shallower; and with the increase of refractive index of the opal void materials and decrease the contrast of refractive index, the gap position shifts to the long wavelength (red shift). At the same time, we observe the swelling effects when the sample is immerged in the solutions with different refractive indices, which make the microsphere diameter in solution become larger than that in air. The understanding of band gap shift behaviour may be helpful in designing optical sensors and tunable photonic crystal ultrafast optical switches.     

Optical properties of Cantor nanostructures made from porous silicon: A sensing application

The fabrication and characterization of pSi based triadic Cantor multilayer structures is reported. Transfer matrix method was used to calculate the corresponding reflectivity spectrum and was compared with the experimental data. A good agreement between the theoretical and experimental reflectivity spectra is reported for the wavelengths corresponding to the non-absorbing region for silicon. The reduction in the quality of the transmission modes has been attributed to the dispersion and backscattering from the interfaces of the complete structure. As the optical response of pSi based sensor depends on the characteristics of the multilayered photonic structure, a comparison of sensitivity of 3rd order Cantor structure with a regular microcavity structure of similar optical thickness resulted in an optical response dependent on the choice of the refractive indices. An optimal choice of the refractive indices for the Cantor structures resulted in an increased red-shift (due to the enhancement of the refractive indices of the corresponding layers), after the surface modification of the photonic device. Such structures offer the possibility to improve the sensing response of the pSi-based photonic structures.     

Confinement in a planar waveguide with porous silicon omnidirectional mirrors as confining walls

We present the design and study of waveguide structures based on porous silicon where the light confinement is not due to the usual total reflection effect but to the use of photonic crystals (PCs) as confining walls. These PC are omnidirectional mirrors (OMs), consisting of the periodic repetition of two porous silicon layers with different refractive indices and thicknesses. They reflect the radiation for all angles of incidence within a frequency range called the omnidirectional band gap (OBG). We have followed the PC formalism to investigate the properties of the OM as a multimode waveguide: the number of modes within the band gap, their field spatial distribution and their confinement as a function of the frequency and the core thickness.     

Multimodal and birefringence effects in magnetic photonic crystals

Photon trapping in magnetic photonic crystals leads to an enhanced Faraday rotation by increasing the optical path-length of the transmitted beam. The integration of these structures into on-chip photonic circuits, while advantageous from the point of view of component connectivity in multifunctional systems, faces several challenges. Photonic waveguide structures in magnetic films may support more than one mode depending on the waveguide thickness and refractive index. Differences in effective refractive indices between TE and TM modes engender phase disparities, thus hindering the Faraday response of the material. The effects of birefringence and multimodality on the performance of waveguide magnetic photonic crystals in magnetic garnets are addressed in paper. In particular, Faraday rotation enhancement in magnetophotonic crystals in the presence of waveguide birefringence and modal multiplicity on the photonic bandgap spectral response are discussed. Multiple stopbands and significant polarization rotation are observed in multimode Bi-substituted iron garnet film waveguides with single-defect photonic crystal structures. The photonic crystals for this study are patterned on ridge waveguide films by focused-ion-beam (FIB) milling.     

Reduction of propagation and bending losses of heterostructured photonic crystal waveguides by use of a high-delta structure

We describe the fabrication and evaluation of a low-loss, high-delta optical waveguide consisting of heterostructured photonic crystals. The waveguide is composed of a multilayer stack of Ta2O5/SiO2 and is prepared by use of the autocloning technique. Light is guided in the waveguide by the difference in the effective refractive indices of the constituent photonic crystals. By improving the design of the core region so that is has a flat multilayer structure, we achieve delta = 3.09% for the in-plane direction and net propagation loss of 0.56 dB/mm at lambda = 1.6 microm. Experiments also suggest that the bending loss of the waveguide can be reduced to less than 0.1 dB if the curvature radius is larger than 700 microm.     

无序一维三元光子晶体的带隙展宽

Bandgap properties of disordered one-dimensional (1D) ternary photonic crystals are investigated by optical transfer matrix method for the first time . The results show that disordered structure provides strikingly extended bandgap compared with the corresponding periodic structure. The more ingredient of disordered dielectric multilayers adopted in the calculation, the wider stop band will be obtained. The influence of degree of disorder D and contrast of high and low refractive indices to the photonic bandgap are also calculated and discussed.