Experimental demonstration of self-collimation inside a three-dimensional photonic crystal

We present our experimental demonstration of self-collimation inside a three-dimensional (3D) simple cubic photonic crystal at microwave frequencies. The photonic crystal was designed with unique dispersion property and fabricated by a high precision computer-controlled machine. The self-collimation modes were excited by a grounded waveguide feeding and detected by a scanning monopole. Self-collimation of electromagnetic waves in the 3D photonic crystal was demonstrated by measuring the 3D field distribution, which was shown as a narrow collimated beam inside the 3D photonic crystal but a diverged beam in the absence of the photonic crystal.     

Thermal emission properties of 2D and 3D silicon photonic crystals

We present measurements of the thermal emission properties of 2D and 3D silicon photonic crystals with and without substrate heated resistively as well as passively with an aluminium hotplate. The out-of-plane and in-plane emission properties were recorded and compared to numerical simulation. It turned out that for the in-plane 2D photonic crystal and out-of-plane 3D photonic crystal emission a photonic stop gap effect is visible. For the out-of-plane 2D photonic crystal emission, no photonic bandgap effect is observable but instead strong silicon oxide emission from native oxide inside the pores of silicon are observable. A model for the modified thermal emission is presented.     

A new fabrication technique for photonic crystals: Nanolithography combined with alternating-layer deposition

We propose two photonic crystal structures that can be created by combining nanolithography with alternating-layer deposition. Photonic band calculations suggest that a drilled alternating-layer photonic crystal combining two-dimensional (2D) alternating multilayers and an array of vertically drilled holes may achieve a full photonic bandgap. In addition, a 3D/2D/3D cross-dimensional photonic crystal, which sandwiches a 2D photonic crystal slab between three-dimensional (3D) alternating-layer photonic crystals, should provide better vertical confinement of light than a conventional index guiding slab. Fabrication techniques based on existing technologies (electron beam lithography, bias sputtering, and low-pressure ECR etching) require very few process steps. Our preliminary fabrication suggests that, by refining these technologies, we will be able to realize photonic crystals.     

Photonic band gaps based on tetragonal lattices of slanted pores

We describe broad new classes of three-dimensional (3D) structures which, when made of silicon, exhibit robust 3D photonic band gaps of up to 25% of the gap center frequency. The proposed photonic crystals are readily amenable to very high precision microfabrication using established techniques such as x-ray lithography and template inversion. Each architecture consists of a set of oriented cylindrical pores emanating from a two-dimensional (2D) square lattice mask with a two-point basis. Large bandwidth, microcircuits for light may be incorporated within the resulting photonic band gaps using an intercalated 2D photonic crystal layer.     

Phase matching in nonlinear chi((2)) photonic crystals

We analyze harmonic generation in a two-dimensional (2D) chi((2)) photonic crystal and demonstrate the possibility of multiple phase matching and multicolor parametric frequency conversion. We suggest a new type of photonic structure to achieve simultaneous generation of several harmonics; we also present both general analytical results and design parameters for 2D periodically poled LiNbO(3) structures.     

Ultra-short pulse propagation in 3D GaAs photonic crystals

We have investigated ultra-short pulse propagation through 3D GaAs photonic crystals with a complete photonic band gap in the optical wavelength region. The pulse propagation was calculated by using the finite-differential time-domain (FDTD) method. This is the first time pulse shape measurements have been made using femtosecond pulses. From the experimental results, the shapes of the ultra-short pulses were found to change when the frequency was above the photonic band-gap after the propagation through the photonic crystal, corresponding to the simulation results.     

Photonic amorphous diamond structure with a 3D photonic band gap

We report that a full three-dimensional (3D) photonic band gap (PBG) is formed in a photonic amorphous structure in spite of complete lack of lattice periodicity. It is numerically shown that the structure "photonic amorphous diamond" possesses a sizable 3D PBG (18% of the center frequency for Si-air dielectric contrast) and that it can confine light at a defect as strongly as conventional photonic crystals can. These findings present important new insight into the origin of 3D PBG formation and open new possibilities in developing 3D PBG materials.     

Photonic band structure of one-dimensional metal/dielectric structures calculated by the plane-wave expansion method

The plane-wave expansion(PWE) method is employed to calculate the photonic band structures of metal/dielectric(M/D) periodic systems. We consider a one-dimensional(1D) M/D superlattice with a metal layer characterized by a frequency-dependent dielectric function. To calculate the photonic band of such a system, we propose a new method and thus avoid solving the nonlinear eigenvalue equations. We obtained the frequency dispersions and the energy distributions of eigen-modes of 1D superlattices. This general method is applicable to calculate the photonic band of a broad class of physical systems, e.g. 2D and 3D M/D photonic crystals. For comparison, we present a simple introduction of the finite-difference(FD) method to calculate the same system, and the agreement turns out to be good. But the FD method cannot be applied to the TM modes of the M/D superlattice.     

有效折射率微扰法研究单缺陷光子晶体平板微腔的性质

应用有效折射率微扰法结合二维/三维平面波方法研究了施主和受主缺陷型H1微腔的性质, 使用修正后的有效折射率可以准确地计算微腔的腔模频率, 与三维全矢量时域有限差分法的计算结果很相近. 对于施主型H1微腔, 以介质带边为匹配标准修正的有效折射率计算的微腔腔模频率误差最小, 而对于受主型H1微腔, 匹配标准则应设置为中间带. 有效折射率微扰法既可以将计算的维度从三维降到二维, 大大减少计算所需的计算机内存和时间, 又可以保持计算结果的准确性, 这对于光子晶体微腔的广泛应用具有非常重要的价值.     

二氧化硅胶体球自组装光子晶体的研究

光子晶体由于具有光子带隙和光子局域等一系列优异的光学特性而受到了人们广泛的关注。由于采用胶体颗粒自组装法制备光子晶体制备工艺简单,所需要的费用也较低,因此已成为制备可见光至红外波段三维光子晶体的一种简便有效的方法。采用垂直沉积法制得了三维光子晶体薄膜,并用扫描电子显微镜和紫外-可见光-近红外分光光度计对其显微结构和光学特性进行了详细的研究。结果表明,自组装薄膜在三维方向上都具有有序结构,其密排面平行于载波片的表面。制备的光子晶体薄膜具有明显的光子带隙特性,带隙中心波长为956nm。研究了带隙中心波长同入射线与密排面法线夹角之间的变化关系,其结果与理论值吻合得很好。     

Diffractionless optical networking in an inverse opal photonic band gap micro-chip

We present a design for a photonic crystal (PC) all-optical micro-chip based on a three-dimensional (3D) inverse opal heterostructure intercalated with a two-dimensional (2D) triangular lattice photonic crystal slab. Within the 2D micro-chip layer, we demonstrate single-mode (diffractionless) waveguiding of light in air, throughout a bandwidth of more than 70 nm near 1.55 μm. This suggests that inverse opal photonic band gap (PBG) materials can facilitate on-chip optical networking functions over the telecommunication frequency band used in current-day optical fibers.     

Defect modes in silver-doped photonic crystals made by holography using dichromated gelatin

The defect mode in silver-doped photonic crystals is investigated. 1D and 3D photonic crystals were made by holography using dichromated gelatin mixed with silver nitrate. By controlling the concentration of the silver nitrate, the defect mode was observed in the bandgaps of the holographic photonic crystals. The numerical simulations were made, and the results showed the consistency with the experimental observations.     

ARROW-based silicon-on-insulator photonic crystal waveguides with reduced losses

We employ an antiresonant reflecting layers arrangement with silicon-on-insulator based photonic crystal waveguides. The 3D FDTD numerical modelling reveals improved transmission in such structures with a promising potential for their application in photonic circuits.     

光子晶体对太赫兹波的调制特性研究

利用传输矩阵方法研究了掺杂半导体n-GaAs/聚碳酸脂一维光子晶体的太赫兹波透射谱.研究结果发现,与一般由两种介电材料组成的一维光子晶体不同,由于掺杂半导体中自由载流子对太赫兹波存在较强的吸收,所以这种材料组成的一维光子晶体除可形成光子带隙外,还可以增强n-GaAs对太赫兹波的透射.同时还提出了一种基于这种一维光子晶体的太赫兹波调制器,通过外加电压控制半导体中电子浓度的大小可实现对太赫兹透射波幅度的调制. 关键词： 掺杂半导体光子晶体 太赫兹波 太赫兹波的调制     

Large-scale photonic crystals with inserted defects and their optical properties

Deliberately introducing defects into photonic crystals is an important way to functionalize the photonic crystals. We prepare a special large-scale three-dimensional(3D) photonic crystal(PC) with designed defects by an easy and low-cost method. The defect layer consists of photoresist strips or air-core strips. Field emission scanning electron microscopy(FESEM) shows that the 3D PC is of good quality and the defect layer is uniform. Different defect states shown in the ultraviolet-visible spectra are induced by the photoresist strip layer and air-core strip layer. The special large-scale 3D PC can be tested for integrated optical circuits, and the defects can act as optical waveguides.     

Reconfigurable 3D photonic lattices by optical induction for optical control of beam propagation

We report on our recent theoretical and experimental studies of three-dimensional (3D) photonic lattice structures which are established in a bulk nonlinear crystal by employing different optical induction techniques. These 3D photonic lattices bring about new opportunities for controlling the flow of light via coupling engineering originated from the lattice modulation along the beam propagation direction. By fine tuning the lattice parameters, we observe a host of unusual behaviors of beam propagation in such reconfigurable 3D lattices, including enhanced discrete diffraction, light tunneling inhibition—better known as coherent destruction of tunneling (CDT), anomalous diffraction, negative refraction, as well as CDT-based image transmission. In addition, we propose and demonstrate a new way of creating 3D ionic-type photonic lattices by controlled Talbot effect.     

Efficient collinear fourth-harmonic generation by two-channel multistep cascading in a single two-dimensional nonlinear photonic crystal

We investigate efficient fourth-harmonic generation in a single two-dimensional (2D) quadratically nonlinear photonic crystal. We propose a novel parametric process that starts with phase-matched generation of a pair of symmetric second-harmonic waves, which then interact to produce a fourth-harmonic wave that is collinear to the fundamental. We show that this process is more efficient than conventional fourth-harmonic-generation schemes by a factor that reaches 4 at low intensities and discuss how to design and optimize the nonlinear 2D photonic crystals that are implemented in LiNbO(3) and LiTaO(3) .     

Time domain topology optimization of 3D nanophotonic devices

We present an efficient parallel topology optimization framework for design of large scale 3D nanophotonic devices. The code shows excellent scalability and is demonstrated for optimization of broadband frequency splitter, waveguide intersection, photonic crystal-based waveguide and nanowire-based waveguide. The obtained results are compared to simplified 2D studies and we demonstrate that 3D topology optimization may lead to significant performance improvements.     

Silicon and porous silicon mid-infrared photonic crystals

A 3D silicon micromachining method based on proton beam writing combined with electrochemical anodization of p-type silicon enables fabrication of mid-infrared photonic crystals made of silicon and porous silicon. Here, example structures of silicon 1D and 2D photonic crystals are demonstrated. Progress and problems of fabricating 3D photonic crystals made of silicon are discussed. The strategy of fabricating photonic crystals purely made of porous silicon, and the characterization method of all these mid-infrared structures, are discussed. Due to the flexibility of this fabrication method, photonic devices and integrated photonic circuits may be built on a single chip, for which two 2D silicon photonic crystals with one on top of the other are demonstrated.     

Geometrical freedom for constructing variable size photonic bandgap structures

In order to study the design flexibility of photonic bandgap structures, we investigate different examples of 1D traditional Bragg layers and 2D photonic crystals. We have also considered a simple case of 3D woodpile structures. It turns out that in systems with large gaps, the evanescent waves penetrate into the bulk only distances comparable to one lattice constant. Therefore confinement of light can also be achieved without long range order, which leads to the introduction of novel photonic bandgap designs. Adhering to some constraints, the changes in the photonic bandgap in disordered structures are negligible. The important quantity to characterize the presence or absence of modes is the local photonic density of states, however bandgap phenomena in size and position disordered arrangements can also be verified with plane wave supercell calculations as well as finite difference time domain techniques.