Open AccessLasing dynamics of a silicon photonic crystal microcavity
Author(s) -
Shouyuan Shi,
Dennis W. Prather
Publication year - 2007
Publication title -
optics express
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.394
H-Index - 271
ISSN - 1094-4087
DOI - 10.1364/oe.15.010294
Subject(s) - lasing threshold , photonic crystal , finite difference time domain method , optics , q factor , resonator , optoelectronics , materials science , nanophotonics , polarization (electrochemistry) , photonics , slow light , physics , laser , chemistry
In this paper we propose a novel silicon microcavity design based on the dispersion engineered photonic crystals (PhCs). With the unique self-collimation property of PhCs, we optimize the passive cavity by tuning the design parameters, such as coupling gap size and array size, to achieve higher Q factor and drop efficiency. Highest cavity mode below the band edge is of particular interest. The strong mode confinement in the low index active material offers an opportunity to realize a lasing mechanism. To investigate the lasing dynamics we introduce the rate equations of atomic system into the electromagnetic polarization to fully describe the nonlinearity of active medium. With these auxiliary differential equations we solve the time evolutions of the electromagnetic waves and atomic populations by using the FDTD method.