Design and fabrication of a midinfrared photonic crystal defect cavity in indium antimonide

摘要

Simulation results and fabrication details are presented for a two-dimensional photonic crystalmembrane defect cavity for use as a laser in gas sensing and communications applications in the3-4 ,urn wavelength range. The design is based on a modified L3 cavity in an aluminium—indium—gallium—antimonide membrane structure which contains two strainedquantum wells. Peak emission is predicted at X = 3.372 p,m with a Q factor of 26 233 for anoptimized membrane thickness of 1000 nm. A focused ion beam procedure is described forcreating the membrane directly in a Fabry—Perot laser structure. A 400 nm thick membrane isfabricated and the photonic crystal pattern is etched into the membrane.