Experimental demonstration of guiding and bending of electromagnetic waves in a photonic crystal.

Lin, SY; Chow, E; Hietala, V; Villeneuve, PR; Joannopoulos, JD · Science · 1998

basic_science · Level V

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Abstract

The routing and interconnection of optical signals through narrow channels and around sharp corners are important for large-scale all-optical circuit applications. A recent computational result suggests that photonic crystals may offer a novel way of achieving this goal by providing a mechanism for guiding light that is fundamentally different from traditional index guiding. Waveguiding in a photonic crystal and near 100 percent transmission of electromagnetic waves around sharp 90 degree corners were observed experimentally. Bending radii were made smaller than one wavelength.