NER: Optimized Photonic Bandgap Devices with Nanoscale Disorder

这项工作的目的是将纳米级无序整合到一类可见光和近红外光子晶体器件中，以获得比现有最先进的无纳米级无序器件高出两个数量级的器件性能。该方法基于非线性拓扑优化，通过设计二维光子晶体器件，使介质材料和空气的排列得到最佳配置，从而产生所需的器件输出。例如，初步结果表明，在晶体/空气界面附近具有定制纳米级特征的二维光子晶体波导可以显示聚焦特性，从而显着减少与外部光纤耦合的损失。实现这种器件所需的制造分辨率可以通过先进的纳米光刻技术来实现。在这项工作中，一个类似的光子晶体器件设计使用拓扑优化将被制造和表征，以验证和推进该方法。这项工作的更广泛的技术影响是为真正的纳米光子器件的重大限制提出了一种新颖的多学科解决方案，可能导致光子晶体器件技术的重大突破。这项工作也对工科学生的教育产生了重大而广泛的影响。作为工作的一部分，PI将帮助开发一门本科课程，向机械工程专业的学生介绍电子材料中的问题，项目团队将努力整合伊利诺伊大学厄巴纳-香槟分校机械工程和电气工程课程之间的高级设计项目。

The objective of this work is to incorporate nanoscale disorder in a class of visible and near-infrared photonic crystal devices in order to achieve device figures of merit up to two orders of magnitude better than in existing state-of-the-art devices without nanoscale disorder. The approach is based on nonlinear topology optimization, whereby a 2D photonic crystal device can be designed so that the arrangement of dielectric material and air is optimally configured to yield some desired device output. Preliminary results show that, for example, a 2D photonic crystal waveguide with tailored nanoscale features near the crystal/air interface can exhibit focusing characteristics that significantly reduce losses in coupling to an external optical fiber. The necessary fabrication resolution to achieve such a device can be accommodated by advanced nanolithographic techniques. In this work, a similar photonic crystal device designed using topology optimization will be fabricated and characterized to validate and advance the approach.The broader technical impact of the work is to advance a novel and multidisciplinary solution to a significant limitation of real nanophotonic devices, potentially leading to a major breakthrough in photonic crystal device technology. The work also has significant broader impact in educating engineering students. As part of the work, the PI will help to develop an undergraduate course that will introduce mechanical engineering students to problems in electronic materials, and the project team will work to integrate senior design projects between the Mechanical Engineering and Electrical Engineering curricula at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.