THREE-DIMENSIONAL PHOTONIC CRYSTAL WAVEGUIDE STRUCTURE

摘要

A waveguide structure formed with a three-dimensional (3D) photonic crystal is disclosed. The 3D photonic crystal comprises a periodic array of voids formed in a solid substrate. The voids are arranged to create a complete photonic bandgap. The voids may be formed using a technique called "surface transformation," which involves forming holes in the substrate surface, and annealing the substrate to initiate migration of the substrate near the surfa ce to form voids in the substrate. A channel capable of transmitting radiation corresponding to the complete bandgap is formed in the 3D photonic crystal, thus forming the waveguide. The waveguide may be formed by interfacing two 3D photonic crystal regions, with at least one of the regions having a channel formed therein. The bandgap wavelength can be chosen by arranging the periodic a rray of voids to have a lattice constant a fraction of the bandgap wavelength.