High quality GaInP nonlinear photonic crystals with minimized nonlinear absorption

We have established a new material, indium gallium phosphide, lattice matched to gallium arsenide, for two-dimensional photonic crystals at 1.55 mu m. We have demonstrated single-mode cavities with intrinsic Q-factor larger than one million and achieved very large self-phase-modulation coefficient 1.1x10(3) W(1) m(-1) in line-defect waveguides. Importantly, the material band gap is such that two-photon absorption, E(g)>2h omega, is completely suppressed at this important telecommunications wavelength.