ABSTRACT
For the first time to our knowledge the observation of near-IR multiple higher-order stopgaps in three-dimensional photonic crystals (PhCs) fabricated using the direct-laser-writing method in thick chalcogenide glass films is reported. The fabrication and etching conditions necessary to realize well-defined structures are presented. The fabricated PhCs exhibit higher-order stopgaps, which are only evident in high-quality structures. The higher-order stopgaps observed permit these high-refractive-index and high-nonlinear PhCs to be used directly as functional photonic devices operating at telecommunication wavelengths without further miniaturizing structural dimensions.
ABSTRACT
Micro-sized void spheres are successfully generated in a solid polymer by use of a tightly focused femtosecond laser beam from a high-repetition-rate laser oscillator. Confocal reflection images show that the void spheres are longitudinal rotational symmetric ellipsoids with a ratio of long to short axes of approximately 1.5. Layers of void spheres are then stacked to create three-dimensional diamond-lattice photonic crystals. Three gaps are observed in the [100] direction with a suppression rate of the second gap of up to approximately 75% for a 32-layer structure. The observed first- and second-order gaps shift to longer and shorter wavelengths, respectively, as the angle of incidence increases.
