Optofluidic Dispersion Engineering of Photonic Crystal Waveguides

Abstract

Optofluidics, the marriage of photonics and microfluidics, uses the inherent flexibility of confined fluids to reversibly tune photonic structures beyond traditional fabrication methods. Photonic crystals (PhCs) are well suited to optofluidic tuning; their periodic air-hole microstructure is a natural candidate for housing liquids. This microstructure enables PhCs to strongly control light on the wavelength scale. Defects purposefully introduced during PhC fabrication can support guided optical modes, forming waveguides or cavities; their dispersion can be engineered by fine alteration of individual PhC holes in or around the structure. This engineering requires very high fabrication toleran..