Light propagation characteristics in defect waveguides in a photonic crystal slab

T. Baba, N. Fukaya and D. Ohsaki

Yokohama National University, Division of Electrical & Computer Eng., 79-5Tokiwadai, Hodogayaku, Yokohama 240-8501, Japan, Phone&Fax +81-45-339-4258, baba@dnj.ynu.ac.jp

Channel waveguides composed of a series of defects in an air hole photonic crystal slab was characterized theoretically and experimentally. They were similar to GaInAsP/SiO2/InP waveguides described in the first reports [1,2]. We employed the SOI wafer for stable fabrication of long guides. The light transmission through the waveguides was confirmed in > 100-um-long waveguides at wavelengths of 1.47 to 1.60 um. The propagation loss was measured by the Fabry-Perot resonance method to be less than 3 dB for a waveguide length of 56 um. The dependence of the propagation loss on wavelength, slab thickness, channel width, etc., will be discussed with 3-D FDTD simulations. The possibility of various lightwave devices[3], i.e. sharp bends, Y blanches and directional couplers will also be discussed.

[1] T. Baba, N. Fukaya and J. Yonekura, Electron. Lett. 27 (1999) 654.

[2] N. Fukaya, D. Ohsaki and T. Baba, Jpn. J. Appl. Phys. 39A (2000) to be published.

[3] J. Yonekura, M. Ikeda and T. Baba, J. Lightwave Technol. 17 (1999) 1500.