通过研究波导两侧缺陷处的折射率对二维光子晶体波导透射光谱的影响，提出一种提高折射率传感器灵敏度的方案。计算结果表明光子透射带上边沿的偏移量与传感区折射率的大小存在一定关系，在相同的折射率变化量下通过改变波导两侧缺陷处圆孔的相关几何参数可极大提高光子透射带上边沿的偏移量，即提高折射率传感器的灵敏度。通过优化设计，传感器的灵敏度由折射率变化区间0.0~1.0 的55 nm/RIU(RIU 表示折射率单元)与1.1~2.0 的36 nm/RIU 分别提高到对应的405 nm/RIU 以及222 nm/RIU。

We propose a two-dimensional (2D) annular photonic crystal (APC) with dual equi-frequency contours (EFCs) in one band. The refractive behaviors of a Gaussian beam incident from air to the APC are analyzed by the EFC analysis and finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) method. The results show the positive-negative birefraction phenomenon for the transverse magnetic (TM) polarization in the same band occurs at the interface between air and the APC, and the surface termination of the APC has a large effect on the strength of the negatively refracted beam.

We propose a new type of Y-branch power splitter and beam expander with scales of microns in two-dimensional (2D) photonic crystals (PCs) by drilling air holes in a silicon slice. Its functionality and performance are numerically investigated and simulated by finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) method. Simulation results show that the splitter can split a TE polarized light beam into two parallel sub-beams and the distance between them is tunable by changing the parameters of the splitter, while the expander can expand a narrow beam into a wider one, which is realized in an integrated optical circuit. The proposed device is based on the avoiding of anomalous reflection effect and the coupling transmission of defect modes of the interfaces.

We project a compact T-branch beam splitter with a micron scale using a two-dimensional (2D) photonic crystal (PC). For TE polarization, one light beam can be split into two sub-beams along opposite directions. The propagating directions of the two splitting beams remain unchanged when the incident angle varies in a certain range. Coupled-mode theory is used to analyze the truncating interface structure in order to investigate the energy loss of the splitter. Simulation results and theoretical analysis show that choosing an appropriate location of the truncating interface (PC-air interface) is very important for obtaining high efficiency due to the effect of defect modes. The most advantage of this kind of beam splitter is being fabricated and integrated easily.

Polarization independent bends and beam splitters for transverse electric (TE) and transverse magnetic (TM) polarizations have been demonstrated in two-dimensional (2D) photonic crystals (PhCs). In virtuel of equi-frequency contour analysis and finite-difference time-domain calculations, self-collimation behaviors for TE- and TM-polarizations are achieved at the same frequency. Simulation results show a 90-degree bend with 90% efficiency and beam splitters with about 96% total efficiency for both TE- and TM-polarizations, where the light is self-guided by the self-collimation effect. Such bends and beam splitters are expected to play important roles in optical devices where polarization insensitivity is needed.