Nanojets and directional emission in symmetric photonic molecules

Symmetric directional emission of light from multisphere photonic molecules is experimentally shown in this work. The photonic molecules are illuminated in the vertical direction with a defocused laser beam. The emission is attributed to photonic nanojets generated in the structure. Furthermore, spectral analysis exhibit whispering gallery mode resonances of coupled and uncoupled modes. A benzene molecule-like structure consisting of a 7-microspheres cyclic photonic molecule shows a field emission pattern similar to the spatial distribution of the orbitals of the benzene molecule.