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Optics and Photonics News

Dynamic Photonic Crystals

Shanhui Fan, Mehmet Fatih Yanik, Michelle L. Povinelli, Sunil Sandhu

Published Mar 1, 2007• 21 citations
Publisher

Abstract

When dynamic behaviors are introduced into photonic crystal systems, fascinating new possibilities emerge. For example, the bandwidth of a pulse can be completely compressed to zero, resulting in on-chip all-optical stopping and storage of light pulses. The pulse spectrum can also be inverted around a center frequency to time-reverse an optical pulse.

DOI
10.1364/opn.18.3.000041

Related papers

Dynamic photonic crystals: stopping light and time reversal

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By combining photonic crystal resonances with dynamics, we show that photonic crystals can be used to stop, store and time-reverse light pulses. (1 page)

European Conference on Optical Communication•Jan 1, 2005•0 citations

All-optical coherent stopping, storage, and time-reversal of light

Mehmet Fatih Yanik, Shanhui Fan

We show that the use of tunable photonic structures opens up unprecedented possibilities in information processing. In particular, we introduce an all-optical adiabatic bandwidth compression and frequency conversion process that overcomes the classical bandwidth-delay constraint in optics. This process requires only very small index modulations (δn/n<10-4) performed at moderate speeds, and yet can alter the spectrum of a photon almost at will. As examples of this process, we show how light pulses can be stopped and stored all-optically in multitude of systems without using any resonant or coherent electronic interactions. We also show how light pulses can be time-reversed using only linear optical elements and modulators. Such systems open up new opportunities in both fundamental sciences and technological applications.

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Tunable photonic crystals enable new optical physics and devices

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Nanophotonics: Stopping Light, Nonreciprocity, and Metamaterials

Shanhui Fan, Mehmet Fatih Yanik, Z. Wang +3 more

In this paper we review our recent works in developing photonic crystals and nanophotonic structures for the control of light. We show that dynamic crystal structures, in which the refractive index of the material is modulated by a small extent while a photon pulse is in the crystal, can be used to stop, store and even time-reverse light pulses [ 1][ 2][ 3]. We also show that by incorporating magneto-optical effects into the crystal structures, the reciprocity of light can be broken, resulting in uni-directional devices that are extremely compact [ 4]. And finally, by exploiting sub-wavelength electromagnetic resonances in meta structures, new meta-materials can be created. These materials feature frequency-independent refractive index that is controlled by geometry and can be arbitrarily large [ 5]. Such materials can be of importance for integrated optics and image sensing applications.

•Jan 18, 2006•0 citations

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A dynamic photonic crystal structure based on a triangular lattice and GaAs is proposed for optical storage and processing. Preserving the translational invariance and the adiabaticity, the structure exhibits electromagnetic induced transparency and can compress larger bandwidth pulses than the previous square lattice models.

International Conference on Optical MEMS and Nanophotonics•Jan 1, 2009•1 citation

Photonic crystals: controlling spectral, spatial and reciprocal properties of light

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We show that photonic crystals can be used to stop, store, and time-reverse light pulses; to suppress diffraction and enable remarkable reflection properties at interfaces; and to create non - reciprocal devices that are extremely compact.

Integrated Photonics Research•Jan 1, 2005•0 citations
When dynamic behaviors are introduced into photonic crystal systems, fascinating new possibilities emerge. For example, the bandwidth of a pulse can be completely compressed to zero, resulting in on-chip all-optical stopping and storage of light pulses. The pulse spectrum can also be inverted around a center frequency to time-reverse an optical pulse.
We show that the use of tunable photonic structures opens up unprecedented possibilities in information processing. In particular, we introduce an all-optical adiabatic bandwidth compression and frequency conversion process that overcomes the classical bandwidth-delay constraint in optics. This process requires only very small index modulations (δn/n<10-4) performed at moderate speeds, and yet can alter the spectrum of a photon almost at will. As examples of this process, we show how light pulses can be stopped and stored all-optically in multitude of systems without using any resonant or coherent electronic interactions. We also show how light pulses can be time-reversed using only linear optical elements and modulators. Such systems open up new opportunities in both fundamental sciences and technological applications.
We show that tunable photonic band gap materials offer new opportunities for device applications. Optical switches or sensors that are far more compact and sensitive, for instance, can be constructed when we introduce either optical or mechanical tunability into photonic crystal structures. Furthermore, when we tune the photonic crystal while a photon is inside the crystal, the crystal can exhibit qualitatively different optical physics effects. As a particularly exciting example, we show that light can in fact be completely stopped in a tunable photonic crystal, and the conventional delay bandwidth product limit in resonator optics can be completely overcome.
In this paper we review our recent works in developing photonic crystals and nanophotonic structures for the control of light. We show that dynamic crystal structures, in which the refractive index of the material is modulated by a small extent while a photon pulse is in the crystal, can be used to stop, store and even time-reverse light pulses [ 1][ 2][ 3]. We also show that by incorporating magneto-optical effects into the crystal structures, the reciprocity of light can be broken, resulting in uni-directional devices that are extremely compact [ 4]. And finally, by exploiting sub-wavelength electromagnetic resonances in meta structures, new meta-materials can be created. These materials feature frequency-independent refractive index that is controlled by geometry and can be arbitrarily large [ 5]. Such materials can be of importance for integrated optics and image sensing applications.