Photonic Crystal Ring Resonators and Ring Resonator Circuits

Abstract

We present the characteristics and applications of photonic crystal ring resonators (PCRR). Photonic crystal confinement can achieve very high cavity quality factor ring resonators. Diffraction-limited ultra-compact PCRRs are feasible due to the absence of size-dependent losses. The flexible modal properties can offer flexible design and integration schemes for either forward or backward propagating add-drop filters based on single- or dual-ring PCRRs. Hybrid-confined PCRRs also show great potential and useful characteristics. Furthermore, we report a few device and circuit configurations based on PCRRs for high-speed modulators, filters, delay lines, etc. Such PCRR structures can potentially provide a good alternative to the traditional microring resonators, as one of the key contributors to the emerging low-power nanophotonics technology.