Photonic bandgaps in patterned waveguides of silicon-rich silicon dioxide

We describe waveguides of photoluminescent silicon-rich silicon dioxide, which have been patterned by triangular two-dimensional (2D) photonic crystals to give higher-order photonic bandgaps occurring within the luminescence band of the core material. Photonic crystal modification of the photoluminescence spectrum allows identification of angle-tuned photonic bandgaps, in close agreement with 2D plane wave expansion and finite-difference time domain simulations. We discuss the importance of these findings for the development of integrated optical circuitry based on silicon-compatible microelectronics. (C) 2004 American Institute of Physics.