Design and experimental realization of 3D photonic components via two-photon polymerization

The use of light as an information carrier is rapidly increasing. To fully exploit the advantages of this technology, the production of 3D photonic circuits is necessary. The inscription of defined defects by two-photon polymerization (2PP) of a photo polymer infiltrated in 3D photonic band gap templates has been identified as possible technique to fabricate 3D photonic components and circuits. The 2PP technique provides a platform to write 3D structures with features as small as 100 nm [1], which is sufficient for components operating in the infrared telecommunication windows. Multimode waveguides and cavities fabricated by 2PP technique have been reported recently [2]. The design of these defects for the production of passive components, such as waveguides, as well as the precise experimental achievement, is critical for the components functionality. Numerical simulation provides insight into the operational performance of the photonic component. This presentation will focus on the all steps including fabrication of opal templates, simulation of the designed waveguides and experimental inscription of defects by 2PP in opal templates.