Two-dimensional photonic crystals based on decorated microreplicated plastic substrates

• Applicant: Professor Dr. Ulrich Lemmer
• Subject Area: Experimental Condensed Matter Physics
• Term: from 2001 to 2005
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 5318488

The goal of this research project is the design and the fabrication of novel photonic crystals based on surface-reliefgrating structures. Using the technique of holographic exposure 2D lateral structures will be defined. The lattice structure and the design of the elementary cell will be varied. These surface relief gratings will then be used as substrates for the decoration with high-index dielectric materials that will be deposited by the technique of oblique evaporation. As an additional tool, colloidal particles will be deposited on surface relief gratings for lateral patterning and/or the introduction of defects. The modified surface-relief structures will be coated with active organic semiconductors such as conjugated polymers. Thus novel photonic crystal laser sources using organic semiconductors as active gain medium will be fabricated and investigated. The experimental work will be directly accompanied by theoretical work. Our work will mainly address the following issues: - Design and photonic bandstructures of 2D surface relief gratings with arbitrary lattice structures - Evaluation of the limiting factors of holographic exposure and oblique evaporation for the fabrication of surface relief gratings - Design and emission properties of 2D photonic crystal lasers using organic semiconductors - Theory of laser operation in a 2D photonic crystal lasers with high index- and gainmodulation. The research will be carried out by a strongly interacting consortium of groups that bring in their expertise in the field of materials science, optoelectronics and theoretical quantum electronics.

• DFG Programme: Priority Programmes
• Subproject of: SPP 1113: Photonic Crystals
• Participating Person: Professor Dr. Georg Bastian