Numerical and Experimental Study of the Mechanical Properties of Photonic Crystal Film

The photonic crystal which can perform total reflection for a range of frequencies of light can be used as thermal control coating, optical fiber and optical filter. The prediction and characterization of mechanical properties are crucial to improve the processing methods and optimize the structure of the films in order to sustain mechanical stresses. In terms of modeling and prediction of the mechanical properties, this work presents a finite element model for a photonic crystal film indented by a perfectly rigid sphere. In addition, the numerical solution is compared to the experimental results obtained by nanoindentation and shown a good correlation. The effect of the contact depth on the mechanical properties was also provided.