Hetero-structure photonic bandgap materials

• US 20030016915A1
• Filed: 06/11/2002
• Published: 01/23/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 06/11/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: University of Delaware
• Original Assignee: University of Delaware
• Inventors: Shi, Shouyun, Sharkawy, Ahmed Samir, Prather, Dennis W.
• Granted Patent: US 6,832,033 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 385/50
• CPC Class Codes: B82Y 20/00 Nanooptics, e.g. quantum optics or photonic crystals
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/1225 comprising photonic band-gap structures or photonic lattices
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/125 Bends, branchings or intersections

Abstract

Described herein a two-dimensional, hetero-structure photonic crystal and method of making the same. The two-dimensional, hetero-structure photonic crystal includes a first rectangular lattice array of dielectric rods provided on a portion of an air background, and a second rectangular lattice array of dielectric rods provided on another portion of the air background. The second rectangular lattice array is spaced from the first rectangular lattice array. The two-dimensional, hetero-structure photonic crystal further includes a triangular lattice array of dielectric rods provided between the first and second rectangular lattice arrays. A main waveguide is formed in one of the first rectangular lattice array, the second rectangular lattice array, or the triangular lattice array by removing dielectric rods from portions thereof. Furthermore, a plurality of channel waveguides are formed in one of the first rectangular lattice array, the second rectangular lattice array, the triangular lattice, or a combination thereof by removing dielectric rods from portions thereof. Each of the plurality of channel waveguides optically communicates with the main waveguide. The two-dimensional, hetero-structure photonic crystal provides the advantages of both the rectangular and triangular lattice arrays for application with optical beam splitters and combiners, and achieves a transmission efficiency greater than 90% in comparison to the transmission efficiency of 50% for the conventional uni-structure photonic crystals.

Claims

1. A two-dimensional, hetero-structure photonic crystal, comprising:

a rectangular lattice array of dielectric rods provided on a portion of an air background; and

a triangular lattice array of dielectric rods provided adjacent to said rectangular lattice array, wherein a main waveguide is formed in said rectangular lattice array by removing dielectric rods from portions thereof, and a plurality of splitting channel waveguides are formed in said triangular lattice array by removing dielectric rods from portions thereof, each of the plurality of splitting channel waveguides optically communicating with the main waveguide.

2. A two-dimensional, hetero-structure photonic crystal as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

another rectangular lattice array of dielectric rods provided on another portion of the air background, said another rectangular lattice array being spaced from said rectangular lattice array, wherein said triangular lattice array is provided between said another rectangular lattice array and said rectangular lattice array.

3. A two-dimensional, hetero-structure photonic crystal as recited in claim 2, wherein a plurality of channel waveguides are formed in said another rectangular lattice array by removing dielectric rods from portions thereof, the another plurality of channel waveguides optically communicating with the plurality of splitting channel waveguides.

4. A two-dimensional, hetero-structure photonic crystal as recited in claim 1, wherein another plurality of splitting channel waveguides are formed in said rectangular lattice array by removing dielectric rods from portions thereof, the another plurality of splitting channel waveguides optically communicating with the main waveguide.

5. A two-dimensional, hetero-structure photonic crystal as recited in claim 3, further comprising:

another triangular lattice array of dielectric rods provided adjacent to said another rectangular lattice array, wherein a plurality of combining channel waveguides are formed in said another triangular lattice array by removing dielectric rods from portions thereof, each of the plurality of combining channel waveguides optically communicating with the another plurality of channel waveguides.

6. A method of making a two-dimensional, hetero-structure photonic crystal, comprising:

forming a rectangular lattice array of dielectric rods on a portion of an air background;

forming a triangular lattice array of dielectric rods provided adjacent to said rectangular lattice array;

forming a main waveguide in the rectangular lattice array by removing dielectric rods from portions thereof; and

forming a plurality of splitting channel waveguides in the triangular lattice array by removing dielectric rods from portions thereof, each of the plurality of splitting channel waveguides optically communicating with the main waveguide.

7. A method of making a two-dimensional, hetero-structure photonic crystal as recited in claim 6, further comprising:

forming another rectangular lattice array of dielectric rods on another portion of the air background, the another rectangular lattice array being spaced from the rectangular lattice array, wherein the triangular lattice array is provided between the another rectangular lattice array and the rectangular lattice array.

8. A method of making a two-dimensional, hetero-structure photonic crystal as recited in claim 7, further comprising:

forming a plurality of channel waveguides in the another rectangular lattice array by removing dielectric rods from portions thereof, the another plurality of channel waveguides optically communicating with the plurality of splitting channel waveguides.

9. A method of making a two-dimensional, hetero-structure photonic crystal as recited in claim 6, further comprising:

forming another plurality of splitting channel waveguides in the rectangular lattice array by removing dielectric rods from portions thereof, the another plurality of splitting channel waveguides optically communicating with the main waveguide.

10. A method of making a two-dimensional, hetero-structure photonic crystal as recited in claim 8, further comprising:

forming another triangular lattice array of dielectric rods adjacent to the another rectangular lattice array; and

forming a plurality of combining channel waveguides in the another triangular lattice array by removing dielectric rods from portions thereof, each of the plurality of combining channel waveguides optically communicating with the another plurality of channel waveguides.