NEW FABRICATION TECHNIQUES FOR HIGH-QUALITY PHOTONIC CRYSTALS

We have developed new methods for the fabrication of high quality two- dimensional (2D) and three-dimensional (3D) photonic crystals. These t echniques involve anisotropic etching and steam oxidation of AlAs mask layers. We have made manufacturable 2D photonic crystals with high as pect ratios for use as micropolarizers and have measured extinction ra tios larger than 800 to 1 between TE and TM modes transmitted through these structures. The new Al2O3 mask fabrication technique also allows us to fabricate 3D structures with up to six repeating layers in dept h and over 90% attenuation in the band gap region. Here, we show the f abrication details and performance of 2D and 3D photonic crystals. (C) 1997 American Vacuum Society.