Huge photonic band gaps with strong attenuations resulted from quasi-one-dimensional waveguide networks composed of triangular fundamental loops

In order to design systems generating large photonic band gaps (PBGs), in this paper we construct interesting quasi-one-dimensional (quasi-1D) periodic triangular, diamond, and tetrahedral networks composed of 1D waveguides and triangular fundamental loops. The optical frequency band structures and photonic attenuation behaviors of electromagnetic (EM) waves propagating in the three kinds of one-and two-segment-connected (1SC and 2SC) networks without dissipation are, respectively, investigated and we find that huge PBGs can be produced in the middle of a frequency period and the widths of the largest PBGs can be controlled by adjusting the matching ratio of waveguide length. When the ratio equals 2:1, the width of the hugest PBG resulted in tetrahedral network reaches 0.73 times of a frequency period and is about 1.16 times of the best result reported previously. The average attenuations of the largest PBGs are very strong and increase rapidly with the increment of the number of unit cell. This makes our designed networks with very few unit cells exhibit wonderful PBG features and they can be realized in experiments easily. It may be useful for the designing of optical devices with large PBG and strong attenuation. (C) 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.