3D WIRE MESH PHOTONIC CRYSTALS

We have investigated the electromagnetic properties of a 3D wire mesh in a geometry resembling covalently bonded diamond. The frequency and wave vector dispersion show forbidden bands at those frequencies nu(0) , corresponding to the lattice spacing, just as dielectric photonic cr ystals do. But they have a new forbidden band which commences at zero frequency and extends, in our geometry, to similar to 1/2 nu(0) acting as a type of plasma cutoff frequency. Wire mesh photonic crystals app ear to support a longitudinal plane wave, as well as two transverse pl ane waves. We identify an important new regime for microwave photonic crystals, an effective medium limit, in which electromagnetic waves pe netrate deeply into the wire mesh through the aid of an impurity band.