A planar hollow corrugated photonic band-gap waveguide: Coupled modes and transmission spectrum

A compact optical element integrating a hollow waveguide and a photonic ban d-gap structure is created by combining a diffraction grating and a mirror. This element offers much promise for various applications in nonlinear and ultrafast optics. The main features of experimental transmission spectra o f such waveguide structures are qualitatively interpreted in terms of the c oupled-mode theory. Localization of light near the surface of a metal-coate d grating in lowest order TM modes in the created waveguide enhances effect s related to the photonic band-gap structure.