We present a novel design for a W1 (one missing row of holes) waveguide 60°bend implemented in a substratetype InP / InGaAsP / InP planar photonic crystal based on a triangular array of air holes. The bend has been designed to provide high transmission over a large bandwidth. The investigated design improvement relies only on displacing holes while avoiding changing individual holes diameter in the interest of better process control (homogenous hole depth). Two-dimensional (2D) finite-element simulations were used to increase the relative transmission bandwidth from 18% to 40% of the photonic bandgap for unoptimized and optimized 60°b ends, respectively. The 2D results were verified by means of rigorous three-dimensional (3D) finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) simulations. We show that excellent agreement between 2D and 3D simulations can be obtained, provided a small effective-index shift of −0.024 ͑−0.74% ͒ and an imaginary loss parameter ͑⑀Љ = 0.014͒ is introduced in the 2D simulations. To demonstrate the applicability of our improved design, the bend was fabricated and measured using the endfire technique. A bending loss of 3 dB is obtained for the optimized W1 waveguide bend compared to more than 8 dB in the unoptimized case.

SUMMARYWe have developed an algorithm for evaluating the accuracy and reliability of photonic crystal (PhC) simulations, and used it to analyze the influence of excitation and detector placement in finite-difference time-domain algorithm (FDTD) simulations of two canonical PhC systems. In order to perform this computationally expensive analysis, we evaluated the use of filter diagonalization as an alternative to the Fourier Transform for mode detection, and developed a parallelization algorithm to take advantage of the inherent concurrency in simulating periodic systems. A map of locations where mode detection fails was generated, and we show that this is equivalent to a map of the node densities of the system. In addition to the expected high nodal densities at the symmetry areas of each system, we find more difficult to characterize patterns of high nodal density for the higher-order modes. Based on the observed behavior we are able to provide concrete rules to optimize the detection and excitation of modes in FDTD simulations of PhC systems. Although PhCs were studied, the presented strategies and results apply to the much broader class of all computational time-domain problems where Bloch-Floquet boundary conditions are used.

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Modeling texture of milled surfaces using analytic methods requires explicit knowledge of a large number of variables some of which change during machining. These include dynamically changing tool runout, deflection, workpiece material properties, displacement of the workpiece within its fixture and others. Due to the complexity of all factors combined, an alternative approach is presented utilizing the ability of neural networks and fractals to implicitly account for these combined conditions. In the initial model, predicted surface points are first connected using splines to model 3D surface maps. Results are presented over varying several cutting parameters. Then, replacing splines, an improved fractal method is presented that determines fractal characteristics of milled surfaces to model more representative surface profiles on a small scale. The fractal character of surfaces as manifested by the fractal dimension provides evidence of chaos in milling.

Monolithic photonic integration offers unsurpassed perspectives for higher functional density, new functions, high performance, and reduced cost for the telecommunication. Advanced local material growth techniques and the emerging photonic crystal (PhC) technology are enabling concepts towards high-density photonic integration, unprecedented performance, multi-functionality, and ultimately optical systems-on-a-chip. In this paper, we present our achievements in photonic integration applied to the fabrication of InP-based mode-locked laser diodes capable of generating optical pulses with sub-ps duration using the heterogeneous growth of a new uni-traveling carrier ultrafast absorber. The results are compared to simulations performed using a distributed model including intra-cavity reflections at the sections interfaces and hybrid mode-locking. We also discuss our work on InP-based photonic crystals (PhCs) for dense photonic integration. A combination of two-dimensional modeling for functional optimization and three-dimensional simulation for real-world verification is used. The fabricated structures feature more than 3.5µm deep holes as well as excellent pattern-transfer accuracy using electron-beam lithography and advanced proximity-effects correction. Passive devices such as waveguides, 60° bends and power splitters are characterized by means of the end-fire technique. The devices are also investigated using scanning-near field optical microscopy. The PhC activity is extended to the investigation of TM bandgaps for all-optical switches relying on intersubband transitions at 1.55µm in AlAsSb/InGaAs quantum wells.