Polarized infrared and Raman spectroscopy studies of the liquid crystal <Emphasis Type="Italic">E</Emphasis>7 alignment in composites based on grooved silicon

Alignment of liquid-crystal filler molecules and the electro-optical effect in composite photonic crystals based on grooved silicon are studied. It is found that the nematic liquid crystal molecules that fill the grooves are predominantly aligned in a planar configuration with respect to the silicon walls. The liquid crystal molecules are realigned homeotropically with respect to the groove walls under the influence of an electric field. The effect detected can be used to adjust the photonic band gap of a one-dimensional photonic crystal.     

Magnetically Controlled Assembly of Dielectric Microspheres toward Photonic Molecules

The construction of “photonic molecules” with controlled sizes and shapes is of particular interest for the integration of miniaturized devices into optoelectronic chips. Here, a general approach is reported that allows the assembly of colloidal microspheres into coupled microcavities with high yield and large scale, utilizing magnetostatic interactions between diamagnetic building blocks dispersed in a ferrofluid under an external field. By precisely designing the local field gradient around diamagnetic microspheres, “virtual templates” can be formed to produce various coupled photonic structures, including diatomic heterogeneous molecules and polyatomic chain molecules. The diatomic structures can modulate the optical resonance modes upon the coherent coupling between microsphere cavities and serve as single-mode wavelength-tunable microlasers. The chain photonic molecules, as coupled resonator optical waveguides, could modulate the light propagation and store photons up to tens of picoseconds. The magnetically controlled assembly method is demonstrated, which provides a promising way for the facile and efficient fabrication of coupled microstructures for fascinating photonic and optoelectronic applications.     

宽带调谐光子晶体光纤多功能太赫兹器件

基于液晶分子的指向矢随外加电场改变而变化的特点,设计了一种新型电场调制液晶太赫兹器件。利用全矢量平面波展开法和光束传播法分别研究了光子晶体光纤的带隙位置和传输光谱的电场分布。同时,利用时域有限差分法计算了液晶分子指向矢随外电场的变化关系。结果显示该器件不仅可以在0.55 THz的宽带范围内实现开关功能,且具有耦合损耗低、消光比高等优点,消光比为30.78 dB。当太赫兹波的入射频率满足光纤的单偏振条件时,该器件还具有偏振控制功能,能够改变传输模式的偏振状态。     

Quantum dots in photonic molecules and quantum informatics Part II.

The paper continues to consider hybrid systems that are based on quantum dots (QDs) integrated into solid-state optical structures—photonic molecules (PMs). It presents the main results that are directly or indirectly related to processing quantum information by the above systems, in particular, by an elementary cell of a solid-state quantum register—a QD coherently interacting with delocalized photonic modes. The properties and the manufacturing technology of large PMs—coupled resonator optical waveguides (CROWs) serving as transport channels during the control of qubits—are considered in detail.     

Hybrid Photonic Nanostructures by In Vivo Incorporation of an Organic Fluorophore into Diatom Algae

Biotechnological processes harnessing living organisms' metabolism are low‐cost routes to nanostructured materials for applications in photonics, electronics, and nanomedicine. In the pursuit of photonic biohybrids, diatoms microalgae are attractive given the properties of the porous micro‐to‐nanoscale structures of the biosilica shells (frustules) they produce. The investigations have focused on in vivo incorporation of tailored molecular fluorophores into the frustules of Thalassiosira weissflogii diatoms, using a procedure that paves the way for easy biotechnological production of photonic nanostructures. The procedure ensures uniform staining of shells in the treated culture and permits the resulting biohybrid photonic nanostructures to be isolated with no damage to the dye and periodic biosilica network. Significantly, this approach ensures that light emission from the dye embedded in the isolated biohybrid silica is modulated by the silica's nanostructure, whereas no modulation of photoluminescence is observed upon grafting the fluorophore onto frustules by an in vitro approach based on surface chemistry. These results pave the way to the possibility of easy production of photonic nanostructures with tunable properties by simple feeding the diatoms algae with tailored photoactive molecules.     

Optical properties of a total-reflection-type one-dimensionalphotonic crystal

We produced an asymmetric Fabry-Perot microcavity using total reflection, and its optical properties were investigated. The structure is considered to be a total-reflection-type 1-D photonic crystal. An electric-field enhancement of incident light in a defect layer installed inside the photonic crystal was observed by fluorescence emission from dye molecules doped into the defect layer division. We confirmed that the incident light intensity was strengthened by about 63 times in the defect layer     

Photonic bandgap formation and tunability in certainself-organizing systems

We describe the microfabrication and band structure of large scale three-dimensional (3D) photonic bandgap (PBG) materials based on self-organizing templates. The simplest of these templates is an fcc lattice of close-packed, weakly sintered spheres. Other templates include hcp and hexagonal AB₂ self-organizing photonic crystals. These photonic crystals may be converted into PEG materials by partially infiltrating the template with high refractive index semiconductors such as Si, Ge, or GaP and subsequently removing the template. The resulting “inverse opal” structure exhibits both a photonic pseudogap and a complete (3D) PBG in the near visible spectrum, spanning up to 15% of the gap center frequency. The local density of states (LDOS) for photons exhibits considerable variation from point to point in coordinate space and reveals large spectral gaps even in the absence of a PEG in the total density of states. These gaps in the LDOS may lead to novel effects in quantum and nonlinear optics when active atoms or molecules are placed within the PBG material. These effects include anomalous, low threshold nonlinear response, collective atomic switching, and low-threshold all-optical transistor action. When an optically birefringent nematic liquid crystal is infiltrated into the void regions of the “inverse” opal PBG material, the resulting composite material exhibits a completely tunable PBG. In particular, the 3D PBG can be completely opened or closed by applying an electric field which rotates the axis of the nematic molecules relative to the inverse opal backbone     

Electrically driven single-photon sources

Single-photon sources are building blocks for photonic quantum information processes. Of the many single-photon generation schemes, electrically driven single-photon sources have the advantages of realizing monolithic integration of quantum light sources and detectors without optical filtering, thus greatly simplify the integrated quantum photonic circuits. Here, we review recent advances on electrically driven single-photon sources based on solid-state quantum emitters, such as semiconductor epitaxial quantum dots, colloidal quantum dots, carbon nanotubes, molecules, and defect states in diamond, SiC and layered semiconductors. In particular, the merits and drawbacks of each system are discussed. Finally, the article is concluded by discussing the challenges that remain for electrically driven single-photon sources.     

Fabrication and Spatially Resolved Functionalization of 3D Microstructures via Multiphoton‐Induced Diels–Alder Chemistry

Three‐dimensional microstructures are fabricated utilizing direct laser writing combined with a non‐radical step polymerization based on multiphoton‐induced Diels–Alder chemistry of o‐quinodimethanes and maleimides. Woodpile photonic crystals with a total of five axial periods and a rod spacing of down to 500 nm are fabricated. The structures are characterized via scanning electron microscopy and focused ion beam milling. In addition, corresponding photonic stop bands are investigated via light microscopy as well as transmission and reflection spectroscopy. The Diels–Alder based network formation during direct laser writing is verified via infrared spectroscopy. Spatially resolved surface patterning of covalently bonded functional molecules on fabricated structures is demonstrated by employing the direct laser writing setup and a bromine containing maleimide. The successful surface modification is verified via time‐of‐flight secondary ion mass spectrometry.     

Photonic Crystals from Ordered Mesoporous Thin‐Film Functional Building Blocks

Environment‐sensitive Bragg reflectors are built using functional mesoporous thin films as building blocks. Tuning of optical properties is achieved by changing the composition or porosity of the slabs or the introduction of planar defects. Sorption or capillary condensation of molecules into the pore system results in a 10–40 nm photonic bandgap (PBG) shift. Organic functions added to the pore surface change the response, permitting tailoring of the selectivity towards small‐size molecules.     

Electrotunable Non‐reciprocal Laser Emission from a Liquid‐Crystal Photonic Device

A liquid crystal (LC) photonic device with an anisotropic optical heterojunction structure has been fabricated. The device has a phase‐retarding nematic LC (NLC) layer sandwiched between two polymer cholesteric LC films with right‐handed helices of different pitches. Electrotunable non‐reciprocal light transmittance and unidirectional circularly polarized (CP) lasing emission have been successfully demonstrated for this device structure. Two left CP (LCP) lasing emission peaks are observed at the edges of the overlapping region between the two photonic bands in the structure and are shifted upon the application of a voltage. In contrast, a non‐reciprocal right CP (RCP) lasing emission peak emerges at one of the band edges and diminishes upon the application of a voltage. These phenomena are interpreted based on the selective reflection of RCP light and the reorientation of the NLC molecules by the application of a voltage.     

Tunable Polarization Properties of Hybrid-Guiding Liquid-Crystal Photonic Crystal Fibers

Tunable polarization properties in hybrid-guiding photonic crystal fibers infiltrated with nematic liquid-crystalline materials are theoretically investigated, both in the case of uniform switching of the liquid crystal molecules and for realistic nematic director patterns. It is demonstrated that the bandgap formation mechanism and the modal transmission properties in such fibers offer the possibility for electrically switchable, wavelength-selective single-polarization and/or zero to extremely high-birefringence guidance.     

一维光子晶体滤波器的研究进展

光子晶体最显著的特点是抑制某些频率电磁波,产生光子禁带,实现对光子的优良滤波性能.在此介绍了目前一维光子晶体滤波器的基本理论、实验进展以及一维光子晶体滤波器的主要应用类型.     

Multifunctional Photonics Nanoparticles for Crossing the Blood–Brain Barrier and Effecting Optically Trackable Brain Theranostics

Theranostic photonic nanoparticles (TPNs) that cross the blood–brain barrier (BBB) and efficiently deliver a therapeutic agent to treat brain diseases, simultaneously providing optical tracking of drug delivery and release, are introduced. These TPNs are constructed by physical encapsulation of visible and/or near‐infrared photonic molecules, in an ultrasmall micellar structure (<15 nm). Phytochemical curcumin is employed as a therapeutic as well as visible‐emitting photonic component. In vitro BBB model studies and animal imaging, as well as ex vivo examination, reveal that these TPNs are capable of transmigration across the BBB and subsequent accumulation near the orthotopic xenograft of glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) that is the most common and aggressive brain tumor whose vasculature retains permeability‐resistant properties. The intracranial delivery and release of curcumin can be visualized by imaging fluorescence produced by energy transfer from curcumin as the donor to the near‐infrared emitting dye, coloaded in TPN, where curcumin induced apoptosis of glioma cells. At an extremely low dose of TPN, a significant therapeutic outcome against GBM is demonstrated noninvasively by bioluminescence monitoring of time‐lapse proliferation of luciferase‐expressing U‐87 MG human GBM in the brain. This approach of TPN can be generally applied to a broad range of brain diseases.     

不同背景介质下金属Cu光子晶体带隙

提出了一种利用全反射抑制二维光子晶体表面电磁波泄漏的方法,并计算了不同背景介质下的二维金属Cu光子晶体的带隙结构,得到了带隙结构与填充率间的关系曲线。计算方法采用时域有限差分,金属型光子晶体由Cu柱构成。分别计算了以空气为背景介质和以PMMA为背景介质的正方晶格金属型光子晶体的带隙结构。研究结果表明：以PMMA为背景介质的正方晶格金属型光子晶体与以空气为背景介质相比,第一带隙更窄,第二带隙中心频率更低,且在填充率大于0.70时将会出现第三带隙。这对进一步扩展这种光子晶体的应用具有良好的参考意义。     

光子晶体及其在光通信中的应用研究

介绍了光子晶体的概念,分析了光子晶体在光通信中的主要应用,讨论了光子晶体光纤的光传输性质以及由光子晶体构造的光通信器件,指出了光子晶体对未来光通信技术发展的重要意义。     

Ultrasensitive Specific Stimulant Assay Based on Molecularly Imprinted Photonic Hydrogels

Taking theophylline and (1R,2S)‐(−)‐ephedrine as template molecules, two imprinted photonic‐hydrogel films are prepared by a combination of colloidal‐crystal and molecular‐imprinting techniques. This paper shows a new approach for rapid and handy stimulant detection with high sensitivity and specificity. One film is proposed for analogous molecule assay, another one for chiral recognition. The key point of this approach is that the imprinted photonic polymer (IPP) consists of a three‐dimensional (3D), highly‐ordered and interconnected macroporous array with a thin hydrogel wall, where nanocavities complementary to analytes in shape and binding sites are distributed. This special, bicontinuous, hierarchical structure enables this polymer to report quickly, easily, sensitively and directly a molecular recognition event without any transducers and treatments for analytes (label‐free). The inherent affinity of the nanocavities, deriving from molecular imprinting, makes these sensors highly specific to analytes, even if in a competitive environment. Their sensitive and specific responses to stimulants in buffer are determined by Bragg diffractive shifts due to the lattice change of their 3D ordered macroporous arrays resulting from their preferential rebinding to the target molecules. The measurements show that the prepared hydrogel films exhibit high sensitivity in such a 0.1 fM concentration of analytes and specificity even in a competitive urinous buffer. The reported method provides a rapid and handy approach for stimulant assay and drug analysis in athletic sports.     

光子晶体与光子晶体光纤的应用

介绍了上世纪80年代末出现的光子晶体的概念和材料特点、光子晶体光纤的性能、国际学术界的研究热点及具有深远影响的应用领域。     

Study of Photonic Crystal Slow-Wave Circuits

In this paper, relations between photonic band gaps and operating mode of slow-wave circuits constructed by photonic crystals are discussed, and methods for computing photonic band gaps and determining the operating band are given. As an example, a slow-wave circuit containing two-dimensional photonic crystals is analyzed. The results explain that complete photonic band gap is not necessary for traveling wave tubes, and more than one defect-mode maybe coexists inside one photonic band gap. If there have no complete photonic band gap, special input and output circuits capable of customizing modes are necessary. Compared with conventional traveling wave tubes, the numerical results do not suggest the bandwidth of the photonic crystal traveling wave tube is wider, and the interaction impedance is lower. This work was supported in part by the National Natural Science Foundation of China under Grant 60532010 and 60401005. The authors are with University of Electronic Technology and Science of China, Chengdu, China, 610054.     

光子晶体及其自组装制备方法的进展

光子晶体是将两种或两种以上介质材料排列成具有光波长量级的一维、二维或三维周期结构的人工晶体.由于光子晶体具有光子带隙、光子局域等特性,所以它具有巨大的应用前景.简述了光子晶体的主要特征,重点介绍了三维光子晶体的自组装方法.