NER: Optimized Photonic Bandgap Devices with Nanoscale Disorder

这项工作的目的是将纳米级的无序在一类可见光和近红外光子晶体器件，以实现设备的品质因数高达两个数量级优于现有的国家的最先进的设备没有纳米级的无序。 该方法是基于非线性拓扑优化，由此可以设计2D光子晶体器件，使得介电材料和空气的布置被最佳地配置为产生一些期望的器件输出。 初步结果表明，例如，在晶体/空气界面附近具有定制的纳米级特征的2D光子晶体波导可以表现出显著降低耦合到外部光纤的损耗的聚焦特性。 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适应。 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，以验证和推进的approach.The更广泛的技术影响的工作是推进一个新的和多学科的解决方案，一个显着的限制真实的纳米光子器件，可能导致光子晶体器件技术的重大突破。 这项工作在教育工程专业学生方面也产生了广泛的影响。 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方面的问题，项目团队将努力将伊利诺伊大学厄巴纳-香槟分校的机械工程和电气工程课程之间的高级设计项目整合起来。

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.