Photonic Crystal and Photonic Band Gap Introduction

OptiFDTD provides comprehensive design, simulation, and post-analysis tools for photonic crystal (PhC) and photonic band gap (PBG) analysis:

• layout designer provides the tools to define the lattice relation, atom properties, defects, wave path, and observation projects
• band solver is an independent simulation engine that gives the band-diagram for the defined lattice structure
• simulator can perform the plane wave simulation based on the periodic cell with a periodic boundary condition
• analyzer can view the field pattern and extract the transmittance/reflection coefficients

Note: The band solver is investigated in Lesson 9. This lesson includes two samples:

• Sample 1 demonstrates how to define the PBG layout and how to extract the transmittance/reflection. The corresponding project file can be found in the Samples folder: Sample10_2D_TE_PBG_Y_Branch.FDT.
• Sample 2 demonstrates a plane wave simulation based on the periodic cell of PhC. The corresponding project file can be found in the Samples folder: Sample09_2D_TE_PBG_Domain_Reduced_Square_Lattice.FDT.