Branislav M. Notaros University of Massachusetts Dartmouth
Intellectual Merit. The central goal of this research is to provide the optics and nanotechnology communities, as well as the antenna and RF/microwave communities, with a new electromagnetic (EM) modeling capability for much more efficient analysis and design of realistic planar photonic crystal (PC) or photonic band-gap (PBG) structures, as an alternative to finite-difference time-domain simulations. Two independent higher order large-domain integral-equation (IE) techniques, a general-purpose IE technique and a specialized PBG modeling technique, will be developed, as well as their hybrid. The specialized technique is dedicated to PBG structures involving arbitrary finite non-periodic arrays of air-filled, dielectric-filled, or metalized circular cylindrical holes perforated in an infinite dielectric (semiconductor) slab, and is designed to be extremely rapid, which is crucial for optimization of designs (e.g., using genetic algorithms). The hybrid higher order IE-PBG method will allow arbitrary 3-D electromagnetic structures to be included in the analysis with planar PBG materials.
Broader Impacts. This research has the potential of considerably improving the capabilities of computational electromagnetics for modeling and design of photonic-crystal structures in real-world applications and significantly impacting predicted expansion of research, development, and fabrication activities in this area. Just one example of many great promises of PC materials is their role as enabling technology for future generations of high-density integrated planar lightwave circuits. Two Ph.D. graduate students will be working on the project at all times. A number of other graduate and undergraduate students will be engaged periodically. A new graduate course on EM Metamaterials will be developed.
