The superprism effect using large area 2D-periodic photonic crystal slabs

The “superprism effect” is an effect observed in photonic crystal structures whereby the direction of light propagation is extremely sensitive to the wavelength and angle of incidence. To realize the superprism effect, new structures are presented which rely on the sensitivity of the phase velocity in a two-dimensional (2D) photonic crystal slab to observe angular magnification outside the photonic crystal medium. Constant frequency contour calculations for a photonic crystal slab of finite thickness are used to predict the phase velocity superprism effect. Further analysis using 2D finite-difference time-domain simulations indicate that a large area photonic crystal and wide excitation beam are necessary for clear observation of the superprism effect. A fabrication technique is demonstrated to achieve the structure's required nanometer-sized features over centimeter-scale areas.