Light In Photonic Crystals Research Articles

Slow light in photonic crystal with combinations of gradient dielectric constant

A line defect waveguide formed by a new kind of two-dimensional photonic crystal with combinations of gradient varied dielectric was designed and the properties of slow light will been studied by using the Plane Wave expansion Method (PWM). The result shows that the group velocity is slower when the corresponding combination of gradient dielectric constants are with higher dielectric constant and lower interval. In our new structure of photonic crystal, the corresponding group velocity can reach as low as 0.06c (c: light velocity in vacuum), two orders magnitude lower than light velocity. Meanwhile, the group velocity dispersion effect is relatively small.

Photonic crystal fibre-based light source for STED lithography

A light source having a relative noise level in the order of and sufficient stability for application in STED lithography has been obtained using the generation of Cherenkov peaks in a supercontinuum spectrum.

Lithium niobate photonic crystal wire cavity: Realization of a compact electro-optically tunable filter

We report an electro-optically tunable filter using a lithium niobate photonic crystal cavity configuration with an efficient optical guiding geometry. The compact device (5.5 μm × 2.8 μm) was made on a hybrid waveguide combining an annealed proton exchange waveguide and a ridge waveguide realized by focused ion beam with vertically deposited electrodes. Due to the slow light and nonlinear effect in lithium niobate photonic crystal, experimental results show an enhanced tunability of ∼0.56 nm/V. This compact tunable photonic crystal cavity demonstration opens the path for the development of micro and nano-scale low-power driving active photonic devices.

Photonic Crystal Light Collectors in Fish Retina Improve Vision in Turbid Water

Despite their diversity, vertebrate retinae are specialized to maximize either photon catch or visual acuity. Here, we describe a functional type that is optimized for neither purpose. In the retina of the elephantnose fish (Gnathonemus petersii), cone photoreceptors are grouped together within reflecting, photonic crystal-lined cups acting as macroreceptors, but rod photoreceptors are positioned behind these reflectors. This unusual arrangement matches rod and cone sensitivity for detecting color-mixed stimuli, whereas the photoreceptor grouping renders the fish insensitive to spatial noise; together, this enables more reliable flight reactions in the fish's dim and turbid habitat as compared with fish lacking this retinal specialization.

Storage-Recovery Phenomenon in Magnonic Crystal

The phenomenon of coherent wave trapping and restoration is demonstrated experimentally in a magnonic crystal. Unlike the conventional scheme used in photonics, the trapping occurs not due to the deceleration of the incident wave when it enters the periodic structure but due to excitation of the quasinormal modes of the artificial crystal. This excitation occurs at the group velocity minima of the decelerated wave in narrow frequency regions near the edges of the band gaps of the crystal. The restoration of the traveling wave is implemented by means of phase-sensitive parametric amplification of the stored mode.

Near‐ and far‐field optical characterization of InGaN photonic crystal light emitting diodes

AbstractLight extraction from InGaN photonic crystal (PhC) light emitting diodes (LEDs) has been studied by scanning near‐field optical microscopy and time‐resolved photoluminescence. The observed patterns of the near‐field intensity are complex and do not correspond to the physical structure of the photonic crystal. Comparison with conventional LEDs without the PhC showed that PhC not only improves the light extraction, but also makes the LED emission more homogeneous (© 2012 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)

Mesoscopic Self-Collimation and Slow Light in All-Positive Index Layered Photonic Crystals

We demonstrate a mesoscopic self-collimation effect in photonic crystal superlattices consisting of a periodic set of all-positive index 2D photonic crystal and homogeneous layers. We develop an electromagnetic theory showing that diffraction-free beams are observed when the curvature of the optical dispersion relation is properly compensated for. This approach allows us to combine slow-light regime together with self-collimation in photonic crystal superlattices presenting an extremely low filling ratio in air.

Research on one-dimensional function photonic crystals

In the paper, we present a new kind of function photonic crystal of which the refractive index is a function of space position. According to Fermat principle, we give the motion equations of light in one-dimensional, two-dimensional and three-dimensional function photonic crystals. For one-dimensional function photonic crystal, we give the dispersion relation, the band gap structure and the transmissivity, and we obtain wider or narrower band gap structure than that of conventional photonic crystal. We study the effects of the refractive index, the number of period, the incidence angle and the thickness of medium layer on photonic crystal band gap, and obtain some valuable laws. Our results give the theoretical support designing the photonic crystals of different band gap structures.

Theoretical study on modulating group velocity of light in photonic crystal coupled cavity optical waveguide

We present a novel mechanism,which is formed by periodically changing the radii of dielectric rods in the middle row of a photonic crystal, to control and stop light. Using the Bloch theory and coupled-mode theory, the dispersion characteristic of such a photonic crystal coupled cavity optical waveguide is obtained. We also theoretically demonstrate that the group velocity of a light pulse in this system can be modulated by dynamically changing the refractive index or radii of the selected dielectric rods, and the light stopping can be achieved.

Negative refraction in 1D plasmonic photonic crystals

The phenomenon of negative refraction of light in 1D photonic crystals with metal layers is studied. It is demonstrated that this phenomenon is due to the excitation of plasmons, which transfer energy in different directions the metal and inside the dielectric layers. The ratio between these two fluxes determines the sign of the group velocity, and therefore, the sign of the refraction angle. It is shown that the sign of refraction is independent of the metal permittivity dispersion and is determined by the permittivity value and by the geometric parameters of an elementary cell only.

Tuning the flow of light in semiconductor-based photonic crystals by magnetic fields

Tuning the flow of light by external fields is a challenging task for scientific studies and optical applications, but it is important in many applications such as switches, modulators, and slow wave structures. Here, new results are presented which demonstrate that this effectively can be achieved by external magnetic fields in one-dimensional photonic crystals made from semiconducting material. The advantage of using semiconducting material is the magnetic-field dependent dielectric function of the free charge carriers particularly where the magnetic field causes large and strongly varying contributions – near the plasma frequency and the cyclotron resonance frequency. The results of simulations on the basis of a multiple scattering method at infrared and microwave frequencies and of experiments on Indium Antimonide in the latter frequency regime confirm the tunability up to the extreme case from full transparency to opaqueness and vice versa.

Function photonic crystals

In this paper, we present a new kind of function photonic crystals (PCs), whose refractive index is a function of space position. Conventional PCs structure grows from two materials, A and B, with different dielectric constants ε A and ε B . Based on Fermat principle, we give the motion equations of light in one-dimensional, two-dimensional and three-dimensional function photonic crystals. For one-dimensional function photonic crystals, we give the dispersion relation, band gap structure and transmissivity, and compare them with conventional photonic crystals, and we find the following: (1) For the vertical and non-vertical incidence light of function photonic crystals, there are band gap structures, and for only the vertical incidence light, the conventional PCs have band gap structures. (2) By choosing various refractive index distribution functions n( z), we can obtain more wider or more narrower band gap structure than conventional photonic crystals.

Stimulated Raman scattering of light in artificial opal filled by water

We investigate stimulated scattering of light in globular photonic crystals infiltrated by water. Excitation of stimulated scattering of light is realized using powerful ultrashort (70 ps) laser pulses with an energy of 35 mJ and a frequency repetition of 15 Hz. We use the second-harmonic generation (532 nm) of the master oscillator and amplifier with a wavelength of 1064 nm. The photonic crystals under study are artificial opals filled by water or ethanol. We characterize the sample structures employing an electronic microscope along with the fiber-optics reflectance-spectroscopy technique. Photonic crystals have a stop band near the spectral positions of the exciting line (532 nm) and the first satellite of stimulated Raman scattering of light in water (649 nm). We observe a substantial reduction of the threshold of stimulated Raman scattering of light in water-infiltrated artificial-opal matrices in comparison with that of pure water. Such a reduction is explained as the result of a sharp increase in the photonic density of states near the stop-band edges of investigated photonic crystals. The reduction in the threshold of stimulated Raman scattering of light in water-infiltrated artificial-opal matrices opens up the opportunity to observe stimulated Raman scattering in numerous water media, including water solutions, biological and medical samples, heavy waters, and others.

Acoustooptic interaction in two-dimensional photonic crystals: Efficiency of Bragg diffraction

We obtain equations for the Bragg regime of acoustooptic diffraction of light in two-dimensional photonic crystals. We determine applicability conditions of the single-wave approximation, in which it is sufficient to take into account only one Fourier component of each of Bloch waves involved in the acoustooptic interaction. In the single-wave approximation, we obtain formulas that make it possible to estimate the acoustooptic figures of merit of a photonic crystal. We show that, in a photonic crystal, higher acoustooptic figures of merit can be achieved than in the materials that make up the crystal.

Modeling of photonic crystal light guides in the MatLab environment

Physics of processes is investigated in a photonic crystal lightguide. A numerous algorithm was built for a calculation and modeling photonic crystal lightguides. For the construction of this algorithm were chosen the method of eventual differences is used in a temporary realm (FDTD), method the common field/the scattering field of TS/SF and method of the perfect multiplied layer (PML). A modeling is realized in the MatLab environment

Slow wave phenomena in photonic crystals

AbstractSlow light in photonic crystals and other periodic structures is associated with stationary points of the photonic dispersion relation, where the group velocity of light vanishes. It is shown that in certain cases, the vanishing group velocity is accompanied by the so‐called frozen mode regime, when the incident light can be completely converted into the slow mode with huge diverging amplitude. The frozen mode regime is a qualitatively new wave phenomenon – it does not reduce to any known electromagnetic resonance. Formally, the frozen mode regime is not a resonance, in a sense that it is not particularly sensitive to the size and shape of the photonic crystal. The frozen mode regime is more robust and powerful, compared to any known slow‐wave resonance. It has much higher tolerance to absorption and structural imperfections.

PCF-Based Cavity Enhanced Spectroscopic Sensors for Simultaneous Multicomponent Trace Gas Analysis

A multiwavelength, multicomponent CRDS gas sensor operating on the basis of a compact photonic crystal fibre supercontinuum light source has been constructed. It features a simple design encompassing one radiation source, one cavity and one detection unit (a spectrograph with a fitted ICCD camera) that are common for all wavelengths. Multicomponent detection capability of the device is demonstrated by simultaneous measurements of the absorption spectra of molecular oxygen (spin-forbidden b-X branch) and water vapor (polyads 4v, 4v + δ) in ambient atmospheric air. Issues related to multimodal cavity excitation, as well as to obtaining the best signal-to-noise ratio are discussed together with methods for their practical resolution based on operating the cavity in a “quasi continuum” mode and setting long camera gate widths, respectively. A comprehensive review of multiwavelength CRDS techniques is also given.

Light extraction from a light emitting diode with photonic structure in the surface layer investigated by NSOM

We present a light emitting diode with a two-dimensional photonic crystal structure prepared by interference lithography at the light emitting diode surface. The emission maximum is at 850 nm. The two-dimensional photonic crystal structure enhanced the light extraction efficiency by a factor of 1.39. The photonic crystal light emitting diode surface morphology was analyzed by atomic force microscopy. The enhanced extraction efficiency of the photonic crystal diode was documented from L( I) dependencies and was confirmed by near-field studies.

光在一维光子晶体中的全反射贯穿效应

The transition matrix method was adopted,and the transmissivity of TE wave and TM wave were analyzed when incident angle greater than full reflection angle,to study the total reflection through effect of light in one-dimensional(1D) photonic crystal.The total reflection through effect was found in the transmission wave.Response curves of the through effect versus incident angle,response curves of the through effect versus wavelength,and response curves of the through effect versus medium thickness were obtained.Total reflection through effect of light in 1D photonic crystal was also explained by the theories of quantum and evanescent wave.

Whispering gallery mode propagation in photonic crystals in front of subwavelength slit arrays: Interplay with extraordinary transmission

We numerically study the propagation of light in 2D photonic crystals (PC) made of infinite cylinders of high refractive index, via the excitation of their morphological dependent resonances, in the presence of metallic arrays of subwavelength slits, either corrugated or not, that may produce extraordinary transmission. In this way, we confirm and illustrate previous theoretical findings on PCs and show new effects when combined with slits. Among them, we show that the whispering gallery mode excitation in the PC couples dominates the transmission of the slit arrays alone. Appropriate design of the system parameters and the illumination conditions, selects the transport and confinement of energy.