Photonic Crystal Coupled-cavity Waveguides Research Articles

Design of a High Q-Factor Label-Free Optical Biosensor Based on a Photonic Crystal Coupled Cavity Waveguide.

In recent years, there has been a significant increase in research into silicon-based on-chip sensing. In this paper, a coupled cavity waveguide (CCW) based on a slab photonic crystal structure was designed for use as a label-free biosensor. The photonic crystal consisted of holes arranged in a triangular lattice. The incorporation of defects can be used to design sensor devices, which are highly sensitive to even slight alterations in the refractive index with a small quantity of analyte. The plane wave expansion method (PWE) was used to study the dispersion and profile of the CCW modes, and the finite difference time domain (FDTD) technique was used to study the transmission spectrum, quality factor, and sensitivity. We present an analysis of adiabatically coupling light into a coupled cavity waveguide. The results of the simulation indicated that a sensitivity of 203 nm/RIU and a quality factor of 13,360 could be achieved when the refractive indices were in the range of 1.33 to 1.55.

Frequency comb generation in rod type 2D photonic crystal coupled cavity waveguide

Frequency comb generation in rod type 2D photonic crystal coupled cavity waveguide

Ultra-slow light with high normalized delay–bandwidth product and refractive-index sensing in photonic crystal coupled-cavity waveguide

Ultra-slow light can enhance light–matter interactions and effectively realize all-optical buffering and modulation. In this paper, we present an efficient design for a two-dimensional square-lattice photonic crystal coupled-cavity waveguide, which can realize multi-frequency band slow-light transmission in the near-infrared band (1500–1640 nm).Through adjusting intercavity spacing N and structural parameters of elliptical air holes, high group index ng (202.46) within the bandwidth of 5.04 nm and improved normalized delay–bandwidth​ product of 0.6583 can be obtained at the wavelength of 1550.05 nm. Moreover, the designed devices can effectively function as a slow light sensor with the wavelength sensitivity of 585 nm/RIU. Multiple functions can be achieved synchronously in only one structure, which is essential in complex optical integrated circuits.

Midinfrared Refractive-index Sensor with High Sensitivity Based on an Optimized Photonic Crystal Coupled-cavity Waveguide

A photonic crystal coupled-cavity waveguide created on silicon-on-insulator is designed to act as a refractive-index-sensing device at midinfrared wavelengths around 4 μm. To realize high sensitivity, effort is made to engineer the structural parameters to obtain strong modal confinement, which can enhance the interaction between the resonance modes and the analyzed sample. By adjusting some parameters, including the shape of the cavity, the width of the coupling cavity, and the size of the surrounding dielectric columns, a high-sensitivity refractive-index sensor based on the optimized photonic crystal coupled-cavity waveguide is proposed, and a sensitivity of approximately 2620 nm/RIU obtained. When an analyte is measured in the range of 1.0–1.4, the sensor can always maintain a high sensitivity of greater than 2400 nm/RIU. This work demonstrates the viability of high-sensitivity photonic crystal waveguide devices in the midinfrared band.

Slow light with high normalized delay-bandwidth product in organic photonic crystal coupled-cavity waveguide.

In this theoretical study, a photonic crystal coupled-cavity waveguide created on polymer substrate was demonstrated to provide high-performance slow light with low group-velocity dispersion and large normalized delay-bandwidth product. Combined with structural-parameter optimization, the normalized delay-bandwidth product was enhanced to a large value of 0.809, and the group-velocity dispersion was on the order of 104(ps2/km). Furthermore, the optimized coupled-cavity waveguide had tunability capabilities by changing the external pump laser power. Importantly, while adjusting the slow light, the normalized delay-bandwidth product values remained above 0.8, which was necessary to maintain the performance of optical buffering devices.

Slow-Light Frequency Combs and Dissipative Kerr Solitons in Coupled-Cavity Waveguides

We study Kerr frequency combs and dissipative Kerr solitons in silicon photonic crystal coupled-cavity waveguides (CCW) with globally optimized dispersion at telecom wavelengths. The corresponding threshold for comb generation is found to explicitly depend on the main CCW figures of merit, namely, mode volume, normal mode quality factor and slow-light group index. Our analysis is carried out by solving the non-linear dynamics of the CCW Bloch modes in presence of Kerr non-linearity and two-photon absorption. Our results open the way to CCW comb generation via dispersion engineering and slow-light enhancement.

Slow light with high normalized delay-bandwidth product in low-dispersion photonic-crystal coupled-cavity waveguide

Slow-light performance based on photonic-crystal coupled-cavity waveguide (PC-CCW) is investigated with low-dispersion pulse transmission. A chain of periodically arranged specific defect cavities of air holes are created along the axis of the waveguide and each of the cavities looks like an irregular hexagon with arrow-like left and right sides to form the PC-CCW. By changing the radius and position of certain defects, slow light modes are achieved. Through optimization, we obtained a highest compromise value for an operating bandwidth of 12.9 nm with an average group index of 70.75 and a normalized delay-bandwidth product (NDBP) of 0.5873. This value of NDBP with low group velocity dispersion is higher than that in other structures based on waveguides or coupled cavities reported previously. The arrow-like shape of the cavity sides is shown to be perfect for reducing the transmission loss of the waveguide. The proposed structure with high NDBP is beneficial for buffering applications and slow light devices.

Influence of Disorder and Finite-Size Effects on Slow Light Transport in Extended Photonic Crystal Coupled-Cavity Waveguides

A convenient approach for slowing down light in integrated optical circuits is by utilizing a set of coupled microcavities in a photonic crystal lattice. While this provides for flexibility in disp...

Resonance fluorescence spectra from coherently driven quantum dots coupled to slow-light photonic crystal waveguides

Using a polaron master equation approach we investigate the resonance fluorescence spectra from coherently driven quantum dots (QDs) coupled to an acoustic phonon bath and a photonic crystal waveguide with a rich local density of photon states (LDOS). Resonance fluorescence spectra from QDs in semiconductor crystals are known to show strong signatures of electron-phonon interactions, but when coupled to a structured photonic reservoir, the QD emission properties are also determined by the frequency dependence of the LDOS of the photon reservoir. Here, we investigate the simultaneous role of coupled photon and phonon baths on the characteristic Mollow triplet spectra from a strongly driven QD. As an example structured photonic reservoir, we first study a photonic crystal coupled cavity waveguide, and find that photons and phonons have counter-interacting effects near the upper mode-edge of the coupled-cavity waveguide, thus establishing the importance of their separate roles in determining the emission spectra. The general theory is developed for arbitrary photonic reservoirs and is further applied to determine resonance the fluorescence spectra from a realistic, disordered W1 photonic crystal waveguide showing important photon-phonon interaction effects that are directly relevant to emerging experiments and theoretical proposals.

Quasinormal mode theory and design of on-chip single photon emitters in photonic crystal coupled-cavity waveguides.

Using a quasinormal mode (QNM) theory for open cavity systems, we present detailed calculations and designs of a photonic crystal nanocavity (PCN) side-coupled to a photonic crystal waveguide (PCW) for on-chip single photon source applications. We investigate various cavity-waveguide geometries using an L3 PCN coupled to a W1 PCW, obtaining the quality factors, effective mode volumes, and single photon Purcell factors of the complete loaded cavity-waveguide system as a function of spatial separation between the two. We also show that the quality factor does not monotonically increase with increasing separation between the PCN and PCW, and we identify a particular hole/defect which acts as the key structural parameter in the cavity-waveguide coupling.

Wide-band slow light in compact photonic crystal coupled-cavity waveguides

Slow light has a variety of applications, in particular for enhanced nonlinear effects like four-wave mixing and high-harmonic generation. Here, we propose a photonic crystal coupled-cavity waveguide with an ultracompact arrangement of the constituent cavities in the propagation direction, and use an optimization algorithm to tune several structural parameters to engineer slow light with a constant group index ng over a wide bandwidth. We propose several specific silicon designs, including one with ng≈37 over a 20 nm wavelength range and another one with ng≈116 over an 8.8 nm band, which yields a group index–bandwidth product of 0.66—a record value among all slow-light devices. The design is experimentally beneficial because of its small footprint and straightforward fabrication and could find applications in optical storage or switching, and in generating quantum states of light.

Slow light in reconfigurable two-dimensional nested ferrite magnetic fluid photonic crystal coupled-cavity waveguides

Photonic crystal waveguide (PCW), due to its large bandwidth, small size, and diversified design of the waveguide structures, represents a breakthrough in the field of optical buffer. Here, a nested structure is designed to improve delay-bandwidth product with ferrite magnetic fluid infiltrated photonic crystal coupled-cavity waveguides. Specifically, three types of coupled cavities, i.e., horizontal-, vertical-, and cross-defect cavity are studied with different concentrations of magnetic fluid. Overall, this aspect of the work is interesting from the perspective of coupled defect waveguides design, which is different from previous line-defect waveguides. Plane wave expansion simulations on the slow light property of the three PCWs reveal that the group velocities are all three orders of magnitude smaller than the speed of light in vacuum and that the corresponding normalized delay-bandwidth product (NDBP) values are all >0.35, with 0.41 being the highest value achieved in vertical-defect coupled cavity. Interestingly, the quality factor (Q), normalized bandwidth (Δω), and NDBP can be readily tuned by varying the concentrations of magnetic fluid. Moreover, all the three coupled-cavity waveguides can be reconfigured, which accordingly changes the corresponding slow light property. Compared to previous works, the results of this work have further improved the slow light property in slow light devices and realized the tunable slow light.

Slow light in nonlinear photonic crystal coupled-cavity waveguides

Abstract Nonlinear photonic crystals can be formed by inserting Kerr-type nonlinear dielectric rods into perfect photonic crystals. Based on nonlinear photonic crystal, nonlinear photonic crystal coupled-cavity waveguide is constructed and its slow light properties are studied by using the Plane Wave expansion Method (PWM). Both single-defect coupled cavity and two-defect coupled cavity are proposed to optimize slow light properties. The result shows that using single-defect coupled cavity in waveguide is beneficial to obtain larger Normalized Delay-Bandwidth Product (NDBP) but it contributes little to decrease the group velocity of light and enlarging Q factor and delay time; While using two-defect cavity in waveguide can efficiently reduce the group velocity of light and enlarge Q factor and delay time. Compared to normal structures, our new designed nonlinear photonic crystal coupled cavity waveguide owns group velocity that is three magnitudes smaller than the vacuum speed of light. Delay time is of magnitude order of 10 ns and Q factor is of magnitude order of 1000, it means less loss and higher ability of storing energy.

Characteristics of Slow Light in a Photonic Crystal Coupled-Cavity Waveguide

A two-dimensional (2D) triangular lattice photonic crystal coupled-cavity waveguide is designed and optimized. The transmission spectrum of the PC waveguide with TE polarization is calculated by using the finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) method, and the group velocity of c/131.18 at the wavelength is obtained. Through optimizing the parameters of photonic crystal waveguide, different resonance length are obtained by changing the number of the continous air holes. The smallest group velocity is obtained to be c/2209 in the coupled-cavity waveguide with 15 air holes. The mechanism of slow light in the coupled-cavity waveguide of photonic crystal is analyzed.

Channel Drop Filter Based on Coupled Cavity in Photonic Crystals

In this paper, a five channel drop filter has been designed in a two dimensional photonic crystal with high dielectric rods in air. Each channel consists of a photonic crystal coupled cavity waveguide with double cavities combined with a line defect waveguide. Desired wavelengths are selected by setting different radii of the two point defects in the photonic crystal coupled cavity waveguides. Defect rods placed at the same channel have an identical radius. The performance of the designed (...)

Optical self-phase modulation using a new photonic crystal coupled-cavity waveguide

In this paper, self-phase modulation of an optical pulse using a new photonic crystal coupled-cavity waveguide is simulated and analyzed. The structure of the new coupled-cavity waveguide is introduced and its advantage over the previous type of coupled-cavity waveguide is discussed. In order to obtain a high group index over a large bandwidth and benefit from the slow light phenomenon, the group index and group velocity dispersion parameter curves of the guided mode are calculated. Finally, the transient simulation of the structure is performed using a finite-difference time-domain method. The calculated required length of the coupled-cavity waveguide for a maximum phase shift of π is about 31 μm. Spectral broadening of the optical pulse as a result of self-phase modulation is also presented and discussed.

All-optical tunable slow light achievement in photonic crystal coupled-cavity waveguides

In this paper, a tunable low power slow light photonic crystal device with a silicon-on-insulator platform is proposed based on the combination of an asymmetric defects coupled-cavity waveguide and the electromagnetically induced transparency (EIT) phenomenon. Modulating the refractive index of special regions in the suggested structure by the EIT phenomenon leads to a relatively wideband slow light device with adjustable group index in the same structure. Using this feature, a small and compact delay line is introduced that has many applications in optical telecommunications, especially in buffers. The numerical calculations show that the group index of 80-98 over the slow light bandwidth from 3.2 to 2.6 nm is achievable for the central wavelength of 1546-1555 nm, respectively. The device malfunction, due to fabrication errors, is modeled, and the tunable characteristics of the proposed structure are verified.

Photonic crystal optical switch using a new slow light waveguide and heterostructure Y-junctions

In this paper we propose a photonic crystal Mach-Zehnder interferometer (MZI) based on a new coupled-cavity waveguide, where its advantage over the previous type of photonic crystal coupled-cavity waveguide is discussed. A heterostructure Y-junction is comprised of square and hexagonal lattices of the new coupled-cavity waveguide. It is designed by applying the temporal coupled-mode theory and is optimized, where an overall throughput efficiency of more than 90% is achieved at the wavelength of 1.55μm. The design of the Y-junction is performed using finite-difference time-domain method. The designed heterostructure Y-junction is used in the structure of a MZI, where its arms are approximately as short as 24μm. Finally, the transient response of the proposed optical switch is investigated.

新型低色散光子晶体耦合腔波导慢光特性的研究

新型低色散光子晶体耦合腔波导慢光特性的研究

Low group velocity in a photonic crystal coupled-cavity waveguide

A two-dimensional photonic crystal coupled-cavity waveguide is designed and optimized, the transmission spectrum is calculated by using the finite-difference time-domain method, and the group velocity of c/1856 is obtained. To our knowledge, this value of group velocity is the lowest group velocity in a photonic crystal waveguide calculated from its transmission spectrum so far. The result is confirmed by the photonic band structure calculated by using the plane wave expansion method, and it is found that the photonic crystal waveguide modes in a photonic band structure are in accordance with those in the transmission spectrum by using the finite-difference time-domain method. The mechanism of slow light in the coupled-cavity waveguide of photonic crystal is analysed.