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Fabrication And Characterization Of Photonic Crystal Slow Light Waveguides And Cavities
Published on: November 30, 2012
Waveguiding, collimation and subwavelength concentration in photonic crystals
Optics Express
|June 6, 2009
Summary
Photonic crystals with dielectric cylinders exhibit total internal reflection, enabling waveguiding and subwavelength focusing. This occurs due to diffraction effects and intensity localization within the dielectric band of the photonic crystal.
Area of Science:
- Photonics
- Materials Science
- Optics
Background:
- Photonic crystals (PCs) are periodic structures that manipulate light propagation.
- Previous studies suggested negative refraction and superlensing properties for 2D dielectric cylinder PCs.
- These claims were later disproven, necessitating a re-evaluation of PC functionalities.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the optical properties of 2D dielectric cylinder photonic crystals.
- To identify alternative functionalities beyond negative refraction.
- To explore waveguiding, bending, and collimation capabilities.
Main Methods:
- Finite Element Method (FEM) calculations.
- Finite-Difference Time-Domain (FDTD) simulations.
- Analysis of light propagation in dielectric cylinder arrays.
Main Results:
- Demonstrated total internal reflection (TIR) in 2D dielectric cylinder PCs.
- Observed efficient waveguiding, bending, and collimation of light.
- Achieved high-intensity subwavelength concentration of wavefronts.
- Identified dominant propagation along the Gamma-M direction due to diffraction.
- Localized intensity within cylinder regions in the lower bandgap (dielectric band).
Conclusions:
- 2D dielectric cylinder PCs exhibit significant total internal reflection properties.
- These structures can effectively guide, bend, and collimate light.
- The findings reveal new applications for PCs in subwavelength optics and waveguiding.
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