Linear waveguides in photonic crystals based on periodic arrangement of spheres

摘要

We demonstrate the possibility of waveguiding electromagnetic waves in a monolayer of dielectric spheres. While light is confined vertically by index guiding, a triangular superlattice monolayer of spheres was found to exhibit a photonic band gap below the light cone, thereby preventing light from propagating laterally. A gap map of this structure is presented. We propose a possible waveguide configuration that yields two non-degenerate defect modes lying within the photonic band gap. Such a structure may be particularly interesting for coupling light into self-assembled colloidal photonic crystals.