Light scattering processes in photonic microstructures

Abstract

Photonic structures with micro to nano-scale feature size have inspired great interest due to their ability to control the propagation of light and its interaction with matter. Light scattering, both linear and nonlinear, is one of the most important physical mechanisms that govern propagation and confinement characteristics in these structures. Scattering loss for example is recognized to be the main limitation for further progress in the field of microstructured photonic devices. Understanding scattering processes in detail is therefore of key importance, both fundamentally as well as for practical applications such as in parametric oscillators, advanced fibers for telecommunications, integrated photonic devices for future on-chip communication, solar cells, and nanophotonic biosensors. In this project, we propose to develop modeling and experimental methods to study linear and nonlinear light scattering in a variety photonic structures, aiming particularly at micro-structured fibers and semiconductor based photonic structures. (AU)