METALLODIELECTRIC PHOTONIC CRYSTAL

摘要

A preferred metallodielectric photonic crystal structure includes a three-dimensionally periodic lattice structure of high-electrical-conductivity metallic elements arranged to produce a photonic band gap which defines a range of frequencies of electromagnetic radiation which are prevented from propagating through the photonic crystal structure. The metallic elements are unconnected and arranged in a background of dielectric material. In one embodiment, the dielectric material is made of a plurality of sheets of dielectric with cylindrical holes drilled through the sheets in a two-dimensionally periodic pattern. The high-conductivity metallic elements, such as metallic spheres, are located in the cylindrical holes. The dielectric sheets are stacked so as to arrange the metallic elements in a three-dimensionally periodic crystal lattice structure such as a face-centered cubic lattice structure. The structure can also be fabricated using integrated circuit microfabrication techniques. Alternating layers of dielectric support material and metallic elements are formed in patterns to create the desired three-dimensional periodic lattice structure. Again, the metallic elements do not contact each other. The advantage of the microfabricated structure is that it can be easily scaled down in size to produce photonic stop bands at infrared or, perhaps, visible wavelengths.