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Updated: Jun 1, 2026
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Fabrication of High Contrast Gratings for the Spectrum Splitting Dispersive Element in a Concentrated Photovoltaic System
Published on: July 18, 2015
Strong optical confinement between nonperiodic flat dielectric gratings
Jingjing Li1, David Fattal, Marco Fiorentino
1Hewlett-Packard Laboratories, 1501 Page Mill Road, Palo Alto, California 94304-1123, USA. jingjingl@hp.com
Physical Review Letters
|June 15, 2011
Summary
We developed a new optical microcavity design where light is mostly in free space, allowing easy interaction with atoms and molecules. This planar design is manufacturable on-chip with high quality factors.
Area of Science:
- Optics and Photonics
- Nanotechnology
- Materials Science
Background:
- Optical microcavities are crucial for light-matter interactions.
- Existing designs often limit accessibility of the optical field.
- On-chip integration of optical devices remains a challenge.
Purpose of the Study:
- To introduce a novel optical microcavity design.
- To enable enhanced interaction between optical fields and external objects.
- To facilitate on-chip integration of high-performance optical resonators.
Main Methods:
- Theoretical description of the microcavity physics.
- Development of a design methodology using stochastic optimization.
- Fabrication using conventional micro- and nanofabrication techniques.
Main Results:
- Demonstration of a microcavity with optical energy primarily in free space.
- Achieved diffraction-limited mode volumes.
- Obtained quality factors in the range of 10^4–10^6.
- Purely planar geometry enabling straightforward on-chip integration.
Conclusions:
- The proposed microcavity design offers readily accessible optical energy for diverse applications.
- Stochastic optimization provides an effective method for designing such resonators.
- The planar, on-chip compatible design opens new avenues for integrated photonic devices.
