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Susumu Noda answers a few questions about this month's
new hot paper in the field of Materials Science.
From
•>>July 2006
Field:
Materials Science
Article Title: Ultra-high-Q photonic
double-heterostructure nanocavity
Authors: Song, BS;Noda,
S;Asano, T;Akahane, Y
Journal: NAT MATER
Volume: 4
Issue: 3
Page: 207-210
Year: MAR 2005
* Kyoto Univ, Dept Elect Sci & Engn, Nishikyo Ku, Kyoto 6158510, Japan.
* Kyoto Univ, Dept Elect Sci & Engn, Nishikyo Ku, Kyoto 6158510, Japan.
* Sumitomo Elect Ind Ltd, Semiconductor Technol R&D Labs,
Itami, Hyogo 6640016, Japan.
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 Why
do you think your paper is highly cited?
High-Q photonic nanocavities, which strongly confine photons
within volumes of optical-wavelength dimension, have been attracting
much attention in various fields. Among these are photonics,
telecommunications, quantum information, and cavity quantum
electrodynamics, where a strong light–matter interaction is
obtained.
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“In the present paper, we have demonstrated the importance of the formation of a photonic
double-heterostructure, which has resulted in the realization of nanocavities with extremely high-Q factors of 600,000, more than one order of magnitude higher than any previous reports.”
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In 2003, we proposed an important design concept in an attempt to
realize high-Q nanocavities in two-dimensional photonic crystal
slabs. See "High-Q photonic nanocavity in a two-dimensional
photonic crystal," by Yoshihiro Akahane, Takashi Asano, Bong-Shik
Song, and Susumu Noda, Nature, Vol.425, No. 6961, p.944,
October 30th, 2003.
 Read
Fast Moving Fronts comments by Susumu Noda about this paper.
The form of the cavity electric field distribution should slowly
vary, most ideally as described by a Gaussian function, in order to
suppress out-of-slab photon leakage. However, the exact cavity
structure which minimizes photon leakage has not yet been established.
In the present paper, we have demonstrated the importance of the
formation of a photonic double-heterostructure, which has resulted in
the realization of nanocavities with extremely high-Q factors of
600,000, more than one order of magnitude higher than any previous
reports. We have also theoretically shown that Q-factors greater than
20,000,000 may be obtained when optimizing the structure.
Does
it describe a new discovery, methodology, or synthesis of knowledge?
We have discovered that a formation of photonic double
heterostructures is a key to confining light very strongly in a
cavity within the size of its wavelength.
Could
you summarize the significance of your paper in layman's terms?
Photonic crystals are an unprecedented type of material used to
construct photonic devices and circuits for manipulating light, just
like a semiconductor which controls the flow of electrons. In the
present paper, we have provided a useful demonstration of such
control by confining light within the very tight space between two
photonic-crystal heterojunctions.
Not only did we set a record for confinement efficiency by a
photonic crystal-based nanocavity, but we calculated that, with
further refinements, this efficiency could be pushed much higher.
Such improvements could benefit a variety of applications including
optical information storage, high-precision sensing,
telecommunications, and even quantum computing.
How
did you become involved in this research?
In 2003, we proposed an important design concept called
"Gaussian Confinement" to realize an ultrahigh-Q
nanocavity in a two-dimensional photonic-crystal slab. In the same
year, we separately proposed a new concept of "In-plane
Photonic-Crystal Heterostructures" (see "Photonic Devices
Based on In-Plane Hetero Photonic Crystals" by Bong-Shik Song,
Susumu Noda, and Takashi Asano, Science, Vol.300, No. 5625,
p.1537, June 6th, 2003), which gives an important
guideline on how to construct arbitrary photonic-crystal nanodevices
with optimum performance.
The present work is the marriage of these two important concepts,
"Gaussian Confinement" and "In-plane Photonic-Crystal
Heterostructure". Fortunately, a nanocavity constructed by
double "Heterostructures" satisfies the concept of
"Gaussian Confinement," which has led to the realization
of an astonishing Q factor of 600,000. Currently, the Q factor has
been increased up to ~1.2 million.
Susumu Noda, Ph.D.
Professor
Department of Electronic Science and Engineering
Kyoto University
Kyoto, Japan
Read
Fast Moving Fronts comments by Susumu Noda.
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ESI Special Topics,
July 2006
Citing URL - http://www.esi-topics.com/nhp/2006/july-06-SusumuNoda.html
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