Photon Confinement in 3D Photonic Band Gap Superlattices

The confinement of light is a prominent branch of nanophotonics. Of particular significance are cavities embedded in three-dimensional (3D) photonic band gap crystals [1], [2] as these are capable of confining light in all three dimensions simultaneously. Introduction of a 3D superlattice of cavities periodically disrupts the symmetry of the crystal, resulting in a variety of bands appearing inside the band gap [3]. In these bands, photons may hop from 3D-confined cavity to neighboring cavities: Cartesian light.