Microfluidic Photonic Crystal Nanocavities

Abstract

We demonstrate post-processed and reconfigurable photonic crystal double-heterostructure nanocavities via selective fluid infiltration. We experimentally investigate the microfluidic structures via evanescent probing from a tapered fiber at telecommunications wavelengths. We demonstrate a cavity with quality factor Q = 4,300. The defect-writing technique we present does not require nanometer-scale alterations in lattice geometry and may be undertaken at any time after photonic crystal waveguide fabrication.