title: Zener tunneling in two-dimensional photonic lattices.
abstract: We discuss the interband light tunneling in a two-dimensional periodic photonic structure, as studied recently in experiments for optically induced photonic lattices [Trompeter, Phys. Rev. Lett. 96, 053903 (2006)]. We identify the Zener tunneling regime at the crossing of two Bloch bands, which occurs in the generic case of a Bragg reflection when the Bloch index crosses the edge of the irreducible Brillouin zone. Similarly, higher-order Zener tunneling involves four Bloch bands when the Bloch index passes through a high-symmetry point on the edge of the Brillouin zone. We derive simple analytical models that describe the tunneling effect, and calculate the corresponding tunneling probabilities.
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Física, Universidade Federal de Alagoas, Maceió, AL 57072-970, Brazil.
authors.forename: Valery S
authors.initials: VS
authors.lastname: Shchesnovich
authors.forename: Solange B
authors.initials: SB
authors.lastname: Cavalcanti
authors.forename: Jandir M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Hickmann
authors.forename: Yuri S
authors.initials: YS
authors.lastname: Kivshar