High quality-factor whispering-gallery mode in the photonic crystal hexagonal disk cavity

We study whispering-gallery-like modes in photonic crystal air-bridge slab micro-cavities having H2 defects using finite-difference time-domain calculations. The defect geometry is optimized to increase the quality factor (Q) of the H2-cavity whispering-gallery mode (WGM). By symmetrically distributing 12 nearest neighbor holes around the defect and controlling size of holes, it is possible to drastically increase the Q of >10(5) while preserving effective mode volume of the order of the cubic wavelength in material. In addition, we investigate the effect of a dielectric circular post located around the center of the H2 cavity. This post can act as current and heat flow paths that promise electrically-pumped thermally-stable lasing operation. It is interesting to observe that the introduction of the post structure increases the Q of the WGM upto 4x10(5) and the high Q >10(5) is still maintained even with large post size. Although diffractive out-coupling through the post is increased, radiated power outside the post is suppressed, which leads to large enhancement of the Q of the H2-cavity WGM. (C) 2004 Optical Society of America.