Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 11, 2026
10:26
Fabrication and Characterization of Superconducting Resonators
Published on: May 21, 2016
Beyond resonance shift: decoupling tunability and performance in semiconductor and superconducting defect photonic
Applied Optics
|June 10, 2026
Summary
A new framework evaluates tunable photonic crystals using multiple parameters, not just resonance shift. Superconducting devices show superior tunability over semiconductor ones, despite Q-factor changes.
Area of Science:
- Photonics
- Materials Science
- Terahertz Technology
Background:
- Tunable photonic crystals are crucial for advanced optical systems.
- Conventional evaluation methods often overlook key performance trade-offs.
Purpose of the Study:
- To introduce a unified multi-parameter framework for evaluating tunable 1D defect photonic crystals.
- To compare the tuning mechanisms and performance of semiconductor (STO) and superconducting (SC) based structures.
Main Methods:
- Utilized the transfer matrix method (TMM) for optical response analysis.
- Analyzed terahertz regime response under electric (STO) and magnetic (SC) fields.
- Incorporated spectral linewidth, quality factor stability, and a novel trade-off index (TI).
Main Results:
- STO structures show moderate electro-refractive tuning with stable spectral characteristics.
- SC structures exhibit significantly enhanced tunability via magneto-optical response, with Q-factor degradation.
- SC structures achieved ~51x improvement in figure of merit and ~143x in the trade-off index.
- Performance differences stem from material-dependent refractive index modulation, not wavelength scaling.
Conclusions:
- The proposed framework offers a physically meaningful evaluation of tunable photonic devices.
- Superconducting defect photonic crystals present a promising avenue for high-performance terahertz applications.
- Balancing tunability and spectral stability is key for future terahertz photonic systems.
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