title: Ultrafast optical switching in three-dimensional photonic crystals.
abstract: We present the first experimental investigation of ultrafast optical switching in a three-dimensional photonic crystal made of a Si-opal composite. Ultrafast (30 fs) changes in reflectivity around the photonic stop band up to 1% were measured for moderate pump power (70 microJ/cm(2)). Short-lived photoexcited carriers in silicon induce changes in the dielectric constant of Si and diminish the constructive interference inside the photonic crystal. The results are analyzed within a model based on a two-band mixing formalism.
authors.affiliation: Atom Optics and Ultrafast Dynamics, Debye Institute, Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Utrecht, PO Box 80000, 3508 TA Utrecht, The Netherlands. D.A.Mazurenko@phys.uu.nl
authors.forename: D A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Mazurenko
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Kerst
authors.forename: J I
authors.initials: JI
authors.lastname: Dijkhuis
authors.forename: A V
authors.initials: AV
authors.lastname: Akimov
authors.forename: V G
authors.initials: VG
authors.lastname: Golubev
authors.forename: D A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Kurdyukov
authors.forename: A B
authors.initials: AB
authors.lastname: Pevtsov
authors.forename: A V
authors.initials: AV
authors.lastname: Sel'kin