Theoretical Research on Optofluidic Photonic Crystal Waveguide for Broadly Tunable and Ultra-Wideband Slow Light.

Broadly tunable and ultra-wideband slow light was theoretically demonstrated in a line defected photonic crystal waveguide (PCW) by infiltrating fluid with suitable refractive index into the first row of air holes adjacent to the waveguide. Simulation results showed that the working wavelength of the flat slow light in the optimized optofluidic PCW could be tuned from 1542.5 nm to 1569 nm with nearly constant group index of 80. Namely, broadly tunable slow light could be realized with the ultra-wide bandwidth over 26.5 nm and the group index up to 80. These achievements could not only open the possibility for achieving many excellent optical devices based on slow light in PCW, but also highlight the versatility, flexibility, and tunability offered by optofluidic infiltration schemes. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]