Photonic crystal at FESTA in Japan - A step toward an extremely miniaturized optical pulse control device/circuit

Kiyoshi Asakawa

FESTA (The Femtosecond Technology Research Association)
5-5, Tokodai, Tsukuba 300-2635, Japan
asakawa@festa.or.jp

AlGaAs-based two-dimensional photonic band-gap crystal (PBC) slab test devices have been fabricated using electron beam lithography and a reactive ion beam etching technology. Air hole-based triangular lattices with lattice constants ranging from 0.32 to 0.45 have been fabricated on both semiconductor-clad (SC) and air-bridge (AB) structures. In a transmission/reflection spectrum with wavelength ranging from 0.85 to 1.1 mm on an SC-type device, a band-gap with large attenuation more than 30 dB has been observed for both E- and H-polarization. Quantitatively more precise characteristics are now under measurement using a sub-ps pulse propagation technique. Prospect for achievement of a PBC-based optical pulse control device involving a branching/interferometer waveguide with optically nonlinear (NL) medium will be addressed. A site-controlled quantum dot assisted with a nano-probe technique will also be shown as a representative of NL medium. An AB-type device will be presented at a poster session in the meeting. This work was supported by NEDO within the framework of the Femtosecond Technology Project.