Bragg scattering induces Fano resonance in photonic crystals

We present a study of a Fano resonance between a narrow Bragg band and disorder-induced continuum in photonic crystals where the continuum is either of the broad band Fabry-Perot scattering in an imperfect one-dimensional photonic crystal or Mie scattering in an imperfect three-dimensional photonic crystal. Our experimental studies of synthetic opals have demonstrated how the Fano resonance may lead to a transmission spectrum exhibiting a Bragg dip with an asymmetric profile or a Bragg rise. (C) 2009 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.