Nonlinear Localized Modes in 2D Photonic Crystals and Waveguides

Abstract

Photonic crystals are usually viewed as an optical analog of semiconductors that modify the properties of light similar to a microscopic atomic lattice that creates a semiconductor band-gap for electrons [1]. It is therefore believed that by replacing relatively slow electrons with photons as the carriers of information, the speed and band-width of advanced communication systems will be dramatically increased, thus revolutionizing the telecommunication industry. Recent fabrication of photonic crystals with a band gap at optical wavelengths from 1.35 pm to 1.95 pm makes this promise very realistic [2].