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We propose and experimentally demonstrate spatial filtering by photonic crystals in a Bragg configuration. Compared to the Laue configuration, where spatial filtering was already demonstrated before, the Bragg configuration is more technologically challenging, as the longitudinal periods of such structures must be shorter than the operational wavelength. The proposed configuration is designed and analyzed by FDTD simulations and the multilayer structure is fabricated by physical vapour deposition on the microstructured substrate. The measurements of the angle/wavelength transmission of the fabricated structure show the signatures of the angular filtering.

Photonic structure designs based on optimization algorithms provide superior properties compared to those using intuition-based approaches. In the present study, we numerically and experimentally demonstrate subwavelength focusing of light using wavelength scale absorption-free dielectric scattering objects embedded in an air background. An optimization algorithm based on differential evolution integrated into the finite-difference time-domain method was applied to determine the locations of each circular dielectric object with a constant radius and refractive index. The multiobjective cost function defined inside the algorithm ensures strong focusing of light with low intensity side lobes. The temporal and spectral responses of the designed compact photonic structure provided a beam spot size in air with a full width at half maximum value of 0.19λ, where λ is the wavelength of light. The experiments were carried out in the microwave region to verify numerical findings, and very good agreement between the two approaches was found. The subwavelength light focusing is associated with a strong interference effect due to nonuniformly arranged scatterers and an irregular index gradient. Improving the focusing capability of optical elements by surpassing the diffraction limit of light is of paramount importance in optical imaging, lithography, data storage, and strong light-matter interaction.

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In this paper, we propose and design a new type of an integrated optical sensor that performs sensing in a wide wavelength range corresponding to mid-infrared (mid-IR) spectrum. By engineering the structural parameters of square-lattice photonic crystal (PC) slab incorporated with a T-shaped air-slot, strong light confinement and interaction with the analytes are assured. Numerical analyses in the time and frequency domain are conducted to determine the structural parameters of the design. The direct interaction between the slot waveguide mode and the analyte infiltrated into the slot gives rise to highly sensitive refractive index sensors. The highest sensitivity of the proposed T-slotted PC sensor is 1040 nm/RIU within the range of analytes’ refractive indices n = 1.05-1.10, and the overall sensitivity corresponding to the higher refractive index range of n = 1.10-1.30 is around 500 nm/RIU. Moreover, for a realistic PC slab structure, we determined an average refractive index sensitivity of 530 nm/RIU within the range of n = 1.10-1.25 and an average sensitivity of 390 nm/RIU within the range of n = 1.00-1.30. Furthermore, we speculate on the possible approach for the fabrication and the optical characterization of the device. The assets of the device include being compact, having a feasible measurement and fabrication technique, and possessing label-free sensing characteristic. We expect that the presented work may lead to the further development of the mid-IR label-free biochemical sensor devices for detection of various materials and gases in the near future.Peer ReviewedPostprint (published version

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In this study, the design of a directional cloaking based on the Luneburg lens system is proposed and its operating principle is experimentally verified. The cloaking concept is analytically investigated via geometrical optics and numerically realized with the help of the finite-difference time-domain method. In order to benefit from its unique focusing and/or collimating characteristics of light, the Luneburg lens is used. We show that by the proper combination of Luneburg lenses in an array form, incident light bypasses the region between junctions of the lenses, i.e., the "dark zone." Hence, direct interaction of an object with propagating light is prevented if one places the object to be cloaked inside that dark zone. This effect is used for hiding an object which is made of a perfectly electric conductor material. In order to design an implementable cloaking device, the Luneburg lens is discretized into a photonic crystal structure having gradually varying air cylindrical holes in a dielectric material by using Maxwell Garnett effective medium approximations. Experimental verifications of the designed cloaking structure are performed at microwave frequencies of around 8 GHz. The proposed structure is fabricated by three-dimensional printing of dielectric polylactide material and a brass metallic alloy is utilized in place of the perfectly electric conductor material in microwave experiments. Good agreement between numerical and experimental results is found.

Recently, different nanophotonic computational design methods based on optimization algorithms have been proposed which revolutionized the conventional design techniques of photonic integrated devices. The intelligently designed photonic devices have small footprints and high operating performance along with their fabrication feasibility. In this study, we introduce a new approach based on attractor selection algorithm to design photonic integrated devices. In order to demonstrate the potential of the proposed approach, we designed two structures: an optical coupler and an asymmetric light transmitter. The designed photonic devices operate at telecom wavelengths and have compact dimensions. The designed optical coupler has a footprint of only 4 × 2 μm 2 and coupling efficiency of 87.5% at a design wavelength of 1550 nm with spatial beam width compression ratio of 10:1. Moreover, the designed optical coupler operates at a wide bandwidth of 6.45% where the transmission efficiency is above 80%. In addition, the designed asymmetric light transmitter with a size of 2 × 2 μm 2 has the forward and backward transmission efficiencies of 88.1% and 8.6%, respectively. The bandwidth of 3.47% was calculated for the designed asymmetric light transmitter where the forward transmission efficiency is higher than 80% and the backward efficiency transmission is under 10%. In order to evaluate the operating performance of the designed photonic devices, coupling losses are analyzed. The presented results show that the attractor selection algorithm, which is based on artificial neural networks, can bring a conceptual breakthrough for the design of efficient integrated nanophotonic devices.