Surface-normal emission of a high-Q resonator using a subwavelength high-contrast grating

Topological beaming of light

Nanophotonic light emitters are key components in numerous application areas because of their compactness and versatility. Here, we propose a topological beam emitter structure that takes advantage of submicrometer footprint size, small divergence angle, high efficiency, and adaptable beam shaping capability. The proposed structure consists of a topological junction of two guided-mode resonance gratings inducing a leaky Jackiw-Rebbi state resonance. The leaky Jackiw-Rebbi state leads to in-plane optical confinement with funnel-like energy flow and enhanced emission probability, resulting in highly efficient optical beam emission. In addition, the structure allows adaptable beam shaping for any desired positive definite profiles by means of Dirac mass distribution control, which can be directly encoded in lattice geometry parameters. Therefore, the proposed approach provides highly desirable properties for efficient micro-light emitters and detectors in various applications including display, solid-state light detection and ranging, laser machining, label-free sensors, optical interconnects, and telecommunications.

Double-layer symmetric gratings with bound states in the continuum for dual-band high-Q optical sensing

Herein, we theoretically demonstrate that a double-layer symmetric gratings (DLSG) resonator consisting of a low-refractive-index layer sandwiched between two high-contrast gratings (HCG) layers, can host dual-band high-quality (Q) factor resonance. We find that the artificial bound states in the continuum (BIC) and Fabry-Pérot BIC (FP-BIC) can be induced by optimizing structural parameters of DLSG. Interestingly, the artificial BIC is governed by the spacing between the two rectangular dielectric gratings, while the FP-BIC is achieved by controlling the cavity length of the structure. Further, the two types of BIC can be converted into quasi-BIC (QBIC) by either changing the spacing between adjacent gratings or changing the distance between the upper and lower gratings. The simulation results show that the dual-band high-performance sensor is achieved with the highest sensitivity of 453 nm/RIU and a maximum figure of merit (FOM) of 9808. Such dual-band high-Q resonator is expected to have promising applications in multi-wavelength sensing and nonlinear optics.

Extreme enhancement of the quality (Q)-factor and mode field intensity in cavity-resonator gratings

In this paper, dielectric Cavity-Resonant Integrated-Grating Filters (CRIGFs) are numerically optimized to achieve extremely high-quality factors, by optimizing the cavity in/out-coupling rate and by introducing apodizing mode-matching sections to reduce scattering losses. Q-factors ranging between 0.1 and 50 million are obtained and two different domains are distinguished, as a function of the perturbation parameter which controls the cavity in/out-coupling rate. When the cavity coupling Q-factor is lower than the Q-factor of the uncoupled Fabry-Perot cavity, corresponding to the over-coupling regime, the reflectivity response exhibits a high resonance maximum. On the contrary, in the under-coupling regime the resonant reflectivity maximum is much weaker since the scattering losses of the uncoupled cavity dominate. Between these two domains, the so-called critical coupling condition leads to very strong field enhancement inside the device, reaching up to 10⁴ times the incident field amplitude. This theoretical work paves the way towards the practical implementation of CRIGFs with much higher Q-factors than currently demonstrated, potentially reaching performance on a par with other resonators such as photonic crystal cavities or whispering gallery mode resonators. These results can serve to optimize the design of narrow-band planar grating filters, particularly for application in non-linear optics.

Bound States in the Continuum Empower Subwavelength Gratings for Refractometers in Visible

This paper describes a compact refractometer in visible with optical bounds states in the continuum (BICs) using silicon nitride (Si3N4) based sub-wavelength medium contrast gratings (MCGs). The proposed device is highly sensitive to different polarization states of light and allows a wide dynamic range from 1.330 (aqueous environment) to 1.420 (biomolecules) monitoring, apart from its being thermally stable. The proposed sensor has a sensitivity of 363 nm/RIU for X polarized light and 137 nm/RIU for Y polarized light. The spectral characteristics have been obtained with a high angular resolution for the smaller angle of incidence, which confirms the BIC hybrid modes with good quality factors and enhanced field confinement. The device is based on a normal-to-the-surface optical launching strategy to achieve exceptional interrogation stability and alignment-free performance. This system can also be used in the CMOS photodetectors for on-chip label-free biosensing.

Resonant-cavity-enhanced p-i-n photodetector using a high-contrast-grating for 940nm

Two novel top mirror designs of high contrast gratings (HCG) are used as the top mirrors of the resonant-cavity enhanced photodetector (RCE PD) operating at 940 nm. The bottom mirror is composed of 36-pair AlAs/GaAs, while the top mirror is a thin-layer grating providing reflectivity higher than 99%. With grating periods varying from 450 to 490 nm, different designs with FWHM of about 0.2∼3 nm are attained. A broadband HCG as top reflector can result in significantly improved manufacturing cost, as well as near unity quantum efficiency (QE). A resonator HCG can result in a new splitting responsivity spectrum with on-off ratio of 14 dB, which has the potential to serve as the basic elements of ternary system, polarization dichroism or diattenuation, and optical switch.

High-efficiency unidirectional vertical emitter achieved by an aperture-coupling nanoslot antenna array

Coupling light from in-plane guided light into free space or optical fibers is crucial for many photonic integrated circuits and vice versa. However, traditional grating couplers or waveguide grating antennas suffer from low upward coupling efficiency due to the light radiating in both upward and downward directions simultaneously. In this paper, a compact aperture-coupling nanoslot antenna array is proposed for high-efficiency unidirectional radiation, where a two-dimensional high-contrast grating (HCG) is employed as a mirror to reflect the undesired downward radiation. Upon the HCG separated by a low-index spacing layer, a thin silver layer is deposited. Finally, a series of H-shaped slots are patterned on the silver thin film to arrange the aperture fields and radiate the in-plane guided light into free space. The proposed nanoslot antenna array features a front-to-back ratio (F/B) over 10 dB within the wavelength range of 1500 ∼ 1600 nm. At the same time, a high radiation efficiency of over 75% and a maximum radiation efficiency of 87.6% are achieved within the 100 nm bandwidth. The high-efficiency unidirectional antenna array is promising for the integrated photonic applications including wireless optical communications, light detection and ranging, and fiber input/output couplers.

Mechanism and sensitivity of Fano resonance tuning in high-contrast gratings

We develop a theory for Fano resonance tuning in dual-mode high-contrast gratings (HCGs). Compact analytical formulas of tuning sensitivity are derived and verified numerically, and are in good agreement with reported experiments. We show that the resonance tuning in HCGs, containing cooperative contribution from two propagating modes, is fundamentally different from that in single-mode microresonators. Our theory reveals the important role of the higher-order mode, which can possess large modal dispersion, especially in the long-wavelength limit beyond the cutoff of slab waveguides, to enable large tuning sensitivity. Our findings will simplify the design and optimization of active and passive tuning in HCG resonators.

Planar focusing reflectors based on monolithic high contrast gratings: design procedure and comparison with parabolic mirrors

Here, we describe in detail a procedure for the numerical design of planar focusing mirrors based on monolithic high contrast gratings. We put a special emphasis on the reconstruction of the hyperbolic phase of these mirrors and we conclude that the phase does not have to be perfectly mimicked to obtain a focusing reflector. We consider here the grating mirrors that focus light not in the air but in the GaAs substrate and we compare them with conventional parabolic reflectors of corresponding dimensions. The light intensity at the focal point of the focusing grating mirrors was found to be comparable to that of the parabolic reflector. Moreover, the reflectivity of the focusing grating mirrors is almost as high as that of parabolic mirrors covered with an additional reflecting structure, if the ratio of the reflector width to the focal length is less than 0.6. Planar focusing grating mirrors offer a good alternative to parabolic mirrors, especially considering the complexity of fabricating three-dimensional structures compared to planar structures.

Optical detection for magnetic field using Ni-subwavelength grating on SiO2/thin-film Ag/glass structure

An optical sensor for magnetic field detection using Ni-subwavelength grating (SWG) on SiO₂/Ag-thin-film/glass substrates was experimentally developed on the basis of the re-radiation condition of surface-plasmon-polaritons (SPPs) at Ag surfaces. The fabricated sample showed two dips in the reflection spectra associated with SPP excitation, and the optical response exhibited good agreement with that simulated by the finite-difference time-domain method. The reflectivity at one of the dip wavelengths varied minimally with the application of the magnetic field, whereas that at the other dip wavelength significantly decreased owing to the large electric field overlap of SPP with the magnetized Ni-SWG. As a result, a magnetic field on the order of a few mT could be detected with a simple normal-incidence optical system.

Grating lobe suppression in optical phased arrays by loading near-wavelength grating

Optical phased arrays based on optical waveguides are compelling components enabling efficient and accurate beam steering. However, to avoid crosstalk between the waveguides, the element pitch is typically larger than one wavelength, which gives rise to grating lobes in real space. In this Letter, we report that near-wavelength gratings can be employed to suppress the grating lobes by utilizing the angular low-pass-filter characteristics. The properly designed near-wavelength grating acts as an angle-sensitive transmission structure. Nearly 100% transmissivity can be realized at small incident angles. However, it quickly declines to a low level when the incident angle is over the critical one. Then, a simple line current array is utilized to demonstrate the grating lobe suppression effect with the grating designed for TE-polarized incidence. Finally, we demonstrate that by loading the proposed grating designed for TM-polarized incidence upon a waveguide grating array with a 2.4 µm pitch, a grating lobe suppression of 10 dB can be achieved when scanning up to ±14^∘.

Design of a narrowband retroreflector based on guided-mode resonance

A narrowband retroreflector consisting of a grating coupler and a waveguide cavity integrated on a highly reflective substrate is proposed. A theoretical model based on coupled-mode theories is discussed to provide analytical expression of the reflection and transmission coefficients under oblique incidence. The retroreflector was designed with a 20-µm aperture for 1540-nm-wavelength operation and 8-deg-angle incidence. Finite-difference time-domain simulation showed a retroreflection spectrum with a bandwidth of 2 nm and a maximum retroreflectance of 85% and a minimum specular reflectance of 5%.

Size-dependent optical properties of periodic arrays of semiconducting nanolines

We study the size-dependent optical properties of periodic arrays of semiconducting nanolines in the near-infrared to near-ultraviolet spectral range, where the absorption of the semiconductor increases. Using band structure calculations, we demonstrate that specific dimensions allow the slow down of the light, resulting in an enhanced absorption as compared to bulk material once the extinction coefficient of the semiconductor becomes comparable to its refractive index. Further, the refractive properties of the arrays can be tailored beyond the values of the constituting materials when the extinction coefficient of the semiconductor exceeds its refractive index. To confirm our theoretical findings, we propose a simple semi-analytical model for the light interactions with such structures and validate it with experimental reflectance spectra collected on arrays for the next-generation transistors.

Feasibility of Using High-Contrast Grating as a Point-of-Care Sensor for Therapeutic Drug Monitoring of Immunosuppressants

Point-of-care (POC) testing has demonstrated great transformative potential in personalized medicine. In particular, patients undergoing transplantation require POC testing to ensure appropriate serum immunosuppressant levels so as to maintain adequate graft function and survival. However, no suitable POC device for monitoring immunosuppressant levels is currently available. Exploiting the latest advances in metamaterials can lead to a breakthrough in POC testing. A high-contrast grating (HCG) biosensor is a low-cost, compact, simple-to-fabricate, and easy-to-operate structure. It is highly sensitive and robust in surface-based biomarker detection, which is favorable for the efficiency of a POC device. In this study, the feasibility of using an HCG as a POC sensor for therapeutic drug monitoring of immunosuppressants was evaluated. The detection efficiency of the most commonly prescribed immunosuppressive medication cyclosporine A by using this sensor was demonstrated to be comparable to those of conventional commercial kits, suggesting that the sensor has the potential to be used as a rapid detection and feedback platform for increasing drug compliance and improving new organ transplant survival.

Electromagnetic field quantization and quantum optical input-output relation for grating

A quantization scheme is developed for the radiation and higher order electromagnetic fields in one dimensional periodic, dispersive and absorbing dielectric medium. For this structure, the Green function is solved based on the plane wave expansion method, thus the photon operators, commutation relations and quantum Langevin equations are given and studied based on the Green function approach, moreover, the input-output relations are also derived. It is proved that this quantum theory can be reduced back to that of the predecessors’ study on the homogenous dielectric. Based on this method, we find that the transformation of the photon state through the lossy grating is non-unitary and that the notable non-unitary transformation can be obtained by tuning the imaginary part of the permittivity, we also discussed the excellent quantum optical properties for the grating which are similar to the classical optical phenomena. We believe our work is very beneficial for the control and regulation of the quantum light based on gratings.

Experiment and Simulation of a Selective Subwavelength Filter with a Low Index Contrast

Subwavelength gratings have been of great interest recently due to their ability to eliminate multiple orders. However, high index contrast ( Δ n ∼ 3 ) is typically achieved using metals or high-index dielectrics surrounded by vacuum in order to maintain good optical selectivity. Here, we theoretically propose and experimentally realize a selective subwavelength grating using an index contrast of Δ n ∼ 1.2 without vacuum. Despite its low index contrast, our simulation and experiments show that good optical selectivity is achieved using the same physics as subwavelength gratings made of high-index contrast. Such polymer-based encapsulated gratings are easier to scale up for use in large-area applications such as photovoltaics and lighting.

Improving the performance of optical antenna for optical phased arrays through high-contrast grating structure on SOI substrate

A novel optical antenna for optical phased arrays is proposed and simulated. A high-contrast grating structure is used to achieve extremely efficient emission. The emission efficiency is as high as 93.94% at 1.55 μm, which exceeds 50% in a range of wavelength from 1.48 μm to 1.62 μm. The antenna can achieve a perfect grating lobe suppression with background suppression of 28.4 dB when the phase difference between adjacent waveguides is 0. A 16-wire optical phased array can easily achieve a scan range of ± 22.8° × 20.2° with a beam width of 2.4° × 2.5°, by employing the optical antenna proposed.

Microcavities with suspended subwavelength structured mirrors

We investigate the optical properties of microcavities with suspended subwavelength structured mirrors, such as high-contrast gratings or two-dimensional photonic crystals slabs, and focus in particular on the regime in which the microcavity free-spectral range is larger than the width of a Fano resonance of the highly reflecting structured mirror. In this unusual regime, the transmission spectrum of the microcavity essentially consists in a single mode, whose linewidth can be significantly narrower than both the Fano resonance linewidth and the linewidth of an equally short cavity without structured mirror. This generic interference effect-occuring in any Fabry-Perot resonator with a strongly wavelength-dependent mirror-can be exploited for realizing small modevolume and high quality factor microcavities and, if high mechanical quality suspended structured thin films are used, for optomechanics and optical sensing applications.

Demonstration of a thermo-optic phase shifter by utilizing high-Q resonance in high-index-contrast grating

A thermo-optic phase shifter is proposed and demonstrated by utilizing the high-Q resonance in high-index-contrast grating (HCG). The Q-factor up to ∼12000 is measured in a footprint of 110  μm×300  μm. By heating the HCG with paired metal strip micro-heaters, the optical resonance shifts, which induces phase modulation. A phase shift of ∼1.2π under heating power of ∼32  mW is directly observed and demodulated from the fringes shifting in a Michelson interferometer. The proposed configuration can also be extended to realize high-speed phase shift by adopting electro-optical modulation.

Very high efficiency optical coupler for silicon nanophotonic waveguide and single mode optical fiber

Integrated optical circuits are poised to open up an array of novel applications. A vibrant field of research has emerged around the monolithic integration of optical components onto the silicon substrates. Typically, single mode optical fibers deliver the external light to the chip, and submicron single-mode waveguides then guide the light on-chip for further processing. For such technology to be viable, it is critically important to be able to efficiently couple light into and out of the chip platform, and between the different components, with low losses. Due to the large volume mismatch between a fiber and silicon waveguide (on the order of 600), it has been extremely challenging to obtain high coupling efficient with large tolerance. To date, demonstrated coupling has been relatively lossy and effective coupling requires impractical alignment of optical components. Here, we propose the use of a high contrast metastructure (HCM) that overcomes these issues, and effectively couples the off-chip, out-of-plane light waves into on-chip, in-plane waveguides. By harnessing the resonance properties of the metastructure, we show that it is possible to spatially confine the incoming free-space light into subwavelength dimensions with a near-unity (up to 98%) efficiency. The underlying coupling mechanism is analyzed and designs for practical on-chip coupler and reflector systems are presented. Furthermore, we explore the two-dimensional HCM as an ultra-compact wavelength multiplexer with superior efficiency (90%).

Design of angularly tolerant zero-contrast grating filters for pixelated filtering in the mid-IR range

Zero-contrast gratings (ZCG) can be used to implement narrow bandpass transmission filters. However, they suffer from poor angular tolerance, which hinders their use in pixelated applications. Combining ZCG with double-corrugation grating, we increase the resonance width and angular tolerance of the filter by more than 1 order of magnitude. Filters tunable around 4.6 μm with more than 90% transmission and compatibility with 140 μm pixel size are demonstrated.

Mode splitting in high-index-contrast grating with mini-scale finite size

The mode-splitting phenomenon within finite-size, mini-scale high-index-contrast gratings (HCGs) has been investigated theoretically and experimentally. The high-Q resonance splits into a series of in-plane modes due to the confinement of boundaries but can still survive even on a mini-scale footprint. Q factors up to ∼3300 and ∼2200 have been observed for the HCGs with footprints that are only 55  μm×300  μm and 27.5  μm×300  μm, which would be promising for realizing optical communication and sensing applications with compact footprint.

Subwavelength grating enabled on-chip ultra-compact optical true time delay line

An optical true time delay line (OTTDL) is a basic photonic building block that enables many microwave photonic and optical processing operations. The conventional design for an integrated OTTDL that is based on spatial diversity uses a length-variable waveguide array to create the optical time delays, which can introduce complexities in the integrated circuit design. Here we report the first ever demonstration of an integrated index-variable OTTDL that exploits spatial diversity in an equal length waveguide array. The approach uses subwavelength grating waveguides in silicon-on-insulator (SOI), which enables the realization of OTTDLs having a simple geometry and that occupy a compact chip area. Moreover, compared to conventional wavelength-variable delay lines with a few THz operation bandwidth, our index-variable OTTDL has an extremely broad operation bandwidth practically exceeding several tens of THz, which supports operation for various input optical signals with broad ranges of central wavelength and bandwidth.

Electromagnetic modeling of large subwavelength-patterned highly resonant structures

The rigorous modeling of large (hundreds of wavelengths) optical resonant components patterned at a subwavelength scale remains a major issue, especially when long range interactions cannot be neglected. In this Letter, we compare the performances of the discrete dipole approximation approach to that of the Fourier modal, the finite element and the finite difference time domain methods, for simulating the spectral behavior of a cavity resonator integrated grating filter (CRIGF). When the component is invariant along one axis (two-dimensional configuration), the four techniques yield similar results, despite the modeling difficulty of such a structure. We also demonstrate, for the first time to the best of our knowledge, the rigorous modeling of a three-dimensional CRIGF.

Surface-normal coupled four-wave mixing in a high contrast gratings resonator

We demonstrate enhanced four-wave mixing using a silicon high contrast grating (HCG) resonator on a SOI (silicon-on-insulator) wafer directly coupled with free space Gaussian beam in surface-normal direction. The measured quality factor for HCG resonator is ~7330. Peak conversion efficiency of -19.5dB is achieved at low pumping power ~900µW. Surface-normal coupling allows for easily and robust alignment system. The very small footprint and high efficiency of our device provide an effective method for wavelength conversion in chip-scale integrated optics.

Theory and design of two-dimensional high-contrast-grating phased arrays

Optical properties of two-dimensional (2D) high-contrast gratings are investigated. We analyze the mechanisms for high-contrast gratings to function as various high-performance optical components. Our top-down design procedure allows us to efficiently obtain initial structural parameters and engineer them for a wide range of applications, such as reflectors, filters, resonators, waveplates, and even 2D phase plates. Simulation results of our designed structures show ultra-high power efficiency, and excellent agreement with our predicted functionalities.

Ultracompact resonator with high quality-factor based on a hybrid grating structure

We numerically investigate the properties of a hybrid grating structure acting as a resonator with ultrahigh quality factor. This reveals that the physical mechanism responsible for the resonance is quite different from the conventional guided mode resonance (GMR). The hybrid grating consists of a subwavelength grating layer and an un-patterned high-refractive-index cap layer, being surrounded by low index materials. Since the cap layer may include a gain region, an ultracompact laser can be realized based on the hybrid grating resonator, featuring many advantages over high-contrast-grating resonator lasers. The effect of fabrication errors and finite size of the structure is investigated to understand the feasibility of fabricating the proposed resonator.

Waveguide mode in the box with an extraordinary flat dispersion curve

The extraordinary flattening of the dispersion curve of the so-called cavity resonator integrated guided-mode resonance filters (CRIGFs) is analyzed and explained as due to the intramode coupling imposed by the external Bragg resonators. CRIGFs are composed of a grating coupler (guided-mode resonance filter, GMRF) put between two distributed Bragg reflectors (DBRs). They form a cavity box in which the excited guided mode is confined. This confinement provides resonances with small spectral width (smaller than 1 nm for optical wavelengths) and extraordinary wide angular acceptance (several degrees). At a first glance, one may think that similar performances could be obtained while putting the GMRF and the DBR one above the other, forming a so-called "doubly periodic" grating, as in this configuration also the DBR confines the mode. Yet, the angular acceptance of CRIGFs is an order of magnitude greater than in classical gratings, even with complex pattern. The aim of the present paper is to identify the phenomenon responsible for the extraordinary large angular acceptance of CRIGFs. We numerically calculate, for the first time to the best of our knowledge, the dispersion curve of the mode excited in the CRIGF. The dispersion curve shows a flat part, where the resonance wavelength is quasi-independent of the angle of incidence, and the flattening grows with the width of the Bragg reflector. We develop an approximate coupled four-wave model, which predicts the extraordinary flattening as a consequence of an additional coupling of the waveguide modes of the GMRF provided by the Bragg grating, that does not exist in the "doubly periodic" gratings.

Vertical plasmonic resonance coupler

Efficient wavelength-selective coupling of lights between sub-wavelength plasmonic waveguides and free space is theoretically investigated. The idea is based on a new type of vertical resonance coupling devices built on plasmonic metal/insulator/metal (MIM) waveguides. The device structure consists of a vertical grating coupler in a resonance cavity formed by two distributed Bragg reflectors (DBRs). With the metal loss included, maximum coupling efficiency around 50% can be obtained at the 1550 nm wavelength with a filtering 3 dB bandwidth around 20 nm (7 nm for the lossless case), demonstrating the feasibility of the idea for achieving high efficiency wavelength-selective vertical coupling through optical resonance. By utilizing this coupler, a plasmonic add-drop device is proposed and theoretically demonstrated. This kind of compact wavelength selective coupling devices shall have the potential to open up a new avenue of photonics circuitry at nanoscale.

Nanostructure arrays in free-space: optical properties and applications

Dielectric and metallic gratings have been studied for more than a century. Nevertheless, novel optical phenomena and fabrication techniques have emerged recently and have opened new perspectives for applications in the visible and infrared domains. Here, we review the design rules and the resonant mechanisms that can lead to very efficient light-matter interactions in sub-wavelength nanostructure arrays. We emphasize the role of symmetries and free-space coupling of resonant structures. We present the different scenarios for perfect optical absorption, transmission or reflection of plane waves in resonant nanostructures. We discuss the fabrication issues, experimental achievements and emerging applications of resonant nanostructure arrays.

Two dimensional analysis of finite size high-contrast gratings for applications in VCSELs

2-dimensional simulations of high-contrast gratings (HCGs) of finite size are carried out, targeting at their applications in vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers (VCSELs). Finite HCGs show a very different behavior from infinite grating ones. The reflectivity of a finite HCG strongly depends on the HCG size and the source size. Our simulation results predict finite reflectivity and transmission values, well consistent with reported experimental results. The band of high reflectivity (>99.5%) of finite HCGs is less broad as compared to the infinite case. Losses into a guided mode excited in the HCG plane are identified as being at the root. This guided mode is excited due to the nonzero angular components in the finite source size, and greatly enhances the transmission and the light leakage from the slab. In addition, the simulation results show that the details of the finite HCG can shape the output beam, whilst a Gaussian-like reflected wave is typically achieved. Our simulations can explain the current discrepancies between numerical predictions of reflectivities approaching 100% and working HCG-VCSELs showing finite reflectivities and nearly Gaussian-like output. Consequently, our analysis of finite HCGs is indispensable for HCG-VCSEL design.

Surface-normal emission from subwavelength GaN membrane grating

We present here the fabrication of subwavelength GaN membrane grating with a double-side process. Controllable GaN membrane thickness is achieved by backside thinning technique, which is essential to realize guided-mode resonant GaN grating in the visible range. Subwavelength GaN grating can serve as an optical resonator and accommodate surface-normal emission coupling. The measured photoluminescence (PL) spectra are sensitive to the parameters and shapes of GaN gratings. Both numerical simulation and reflectivity measurement are in consistent with the PL experimental results. This work opens a promising way to embed GaN-based photon emitter inside subwavelength grating to further produce a surface emitting device with a single layer GaN grating.

Finite-size limitations on Quality factor of guided resonance modes in 2D photonic crystals

High-Q guided resonance modes in two-dimensional photonic crystals, enable high field intensity in small volumes that can be exploited to realize high performance sensors. We show through simulations and experiments how the Q-factor of guided resonance modes varies with the size of the photonic crystal, and that this variation is due to loss caused by scattering of in-plane propagating modes at the lattice boundary and coupling of incident light to fully guided modes that exist in the homogeneous slab outside the lattice boundary. A photonic crystal with reflecting boundaries, realized by Bragg mirrors with a band gap for in-plane propagating modes, has been designed to suppress these edge effects. The new design represents a way around the fundamental limitation on Q-factors for guided resonances in finite photonic crystals. Results are presented for both simulated and fabricated structures.

Polarization-independent guided-mode resonance filter with cross-integrated waveguide resonators

A cavity-resonator-integrated guided-mode resonance filter (CRIGF) has been proposed and investigated in order to realize high-efficiency narrowband reflection with a small aperture. The CRIGF consists of a grating coupler integrated in a cavity resonator constructed by a pair of distributed Bragg reflectors on a thin-film waveguide. This time, orthogonally crossed integration of two CRIGFs was demonstrated in order to obtain polarization-independent reflection spectrum. An SiO2-based device with 10 μm aperture was designed and fabricated for around 850 nm wavelength operation, and narrowband polarization-independent reflection was confirmed experimentally.

Polarization-insensitive subwavelength grating reflector based on a semiconductor-insulator-metal structure

We present a polarization-insensitive subwavelength grating reflector based on a semiconductor-insulator-metal structure. The polarization-insensitive characteristic originates from the combined effect of the TM-polarized high-reflectivity high-index-contrast subwavelength grating and the TE-polarized metallic (Au) subwavelength grating with the addition of the insulator layer. The overlapped high reflectivity (>99.5%) bandwidth between the transverse electric polarization and the transverse magnetic polarization is 89 nm. This polarization-insensitive subwavelength grating reflector can be used in the applications without a preferred polarization.

Physics of near-wavelength high contrast gratings

We present a simple theory explaining the extraordinary features of high-contrast optical gratings in the near-wavelength regime, particularly the very broadband high reflectivity (>99%) and the ultra-high quality factor resonances (Q>10(7)). We present, for the first time, an intuitive explanation for both features using a simple phase selection rule, and reveal the anti-crossing and crossing effects between the grating modes. Our analytical results agree well with simulations and the experimental data obtained from vertical cavity surface emitting lasers incorporating a high contrast grating as top reflector.

High angular tolerance and reflectivity with narrow bandwidth cavity-resonator-integrated guided-mode resonance filter

Guided mode resonance filters (GMRFs) are a promising new generation of reflective narrow band filters, that combine structural simplicity with high efficiency. However their intrinsic poor angular tolerance and huge area limit their use in real life applications. Cavity-resonator-integrated guided-mode resonance filters (CRIGFs) are a new class of reflective narrow band filters. They offer in theory narrow-band high-reflectivity with a much smaller footprint than GMRF. Here we demonstrate that for tightly focused incident beams adapted to the CRIGF size, we can obtain simultaneously high spectral selecitivity, high reflectivity, high angular acceptance with large alignment tolerances. We demonstrate experimentally reflectivity above 74%, angular acceptance greater than ±4.2° for a narrow-band (1.4 nm wide at 847 nm) CRIGF.

Cavity-resonator-integrated guided-mode resonance filter for aperture miniaturization

A guided-mode resonance filter integrated in a waveguide cavity resonator constructed by two distributed Bragg reflectors is designed and fabricated for miniaturization of aperture size. Reflection efficiency of >90% and wavelength selectivity of 0.4 nm are predicted in the designed SiO(2)-based filter with 50-μm aperture by a numerical calculation using the finite-difference time-domain method. A maximum reflectance of 67% with 0.5-nm bandwidth is experimentally demonstrated by the fabricated device at around 850-nm wavelength.

Matrix Fabry-Perot resonance mechanism in high-contrast gratings

We present a simple analytic formalism to explain the unique resonance phenomenon in subwavelength high-contrast gratings (HCG). We show that the resonances are due to strong coupling between two surface-normal waveguide array modes resulting from abrupt and large index contrast. Simple expression for HCG quality factor is derived that agrees with spectral-fitting approaches reported in literature.

Dispersion properties of high-contrast grating hollow-core waveguides

We present unique dispersion characteristics of high-contrast grating (HCG) hollow-core waveguides and show that slow light can be facilitated using internal resonances developing inside the waveguide walls. In addition, we show a fast and precise method of inferring the dispersion information from the waveguide angular reflectivity spectrum.

Theoretical analysis of subwavelength high contrast grating reflectors

A simple analytic analysis of the ultra-high reflectivity feature of subwavelength dielectric gratings is developed. The phenomenon of ultra high reflectivity is explained to be a destructive interference effect between the two grating modes. Based on this phenomenon, a design algorithm for broadband grating mirrors is suggested.

Integrated 2D photonic crystal stack filter fabricated using nanoreplica molding

The design, fabrication, and characterization of an integrated 2D photonic crystal stack are described for application as optical filters with improved optical density and angle tolerance compared to single photonic crystal slabs. The 2D photonic crystals are designed as polarization independent reflectance filters with a narrow spectral bandwidth centered at lambda=532 nm by utilizing the guided mode resonance effect. Up to three photonic crystal layers are vertically stacked upon a single plastic substrate by using repeated nanoreplica molding process steps, with no alignment required between stacked layers. The photonic crystal stack filters achieve optical density of 2.24 with an angular tolerance of 14.8 degrees.

Monolithically integrated multi-wavelength VCSEL arrays using high-contrast gratings

We propose a novel design for multi-wavelength arrays of vertical cavity surface-emitting lasers (VCSELs) using high-contrast gratings (HCGs) as top mirrors. A range of VCSEL cavity wavelengths in excess of 100 nm is predicted by modifying only the period and duty-cycle of the high-contrast gratings, while leaving the epitaxial layer thickness unchanged. VCSEL arrays fabricated with this novel design can easily accommodate the entire Er-doped fiber amplifier bandwidth with emission wavelengths defined solely by lithography with no restrictions in physical layout. Further, the entire process is identical to that of solitary VCSELs, facilitating cost-effective manufacturing.

A novel ultra-low loss hollow-core waveguide using subwavelength high-contrast gratings

We propose a novel ultra-low loss single-mode hollow-core waveguide using subwavelength high-contrast grating (HCG). We analyzed and simulated the propagation loss of the waveguide and show it can be as low as 0.006 dB/m, three orders of magnitude lower than the lowest loss of the state-of-art chip-scale hollow waveguides. This novel HCG hollow-core waveguide design will serve as a basic building block in many chip-scale integrated photonic circuits enabling system-level applications including optical interconnects, optical delay lines, and optical sensors.