title: Ultrahigh-Q nanocavities written with a nanoprobe.
abstract: High-Q nanocavities have been extensively studied recently because they are considered key elements in low-power photonic devices and integrated circuits. Here we demonstrate that ultrahigh-Q (>10(6)) nanocavities can be created by employing scanning probe lithography on a prepatterned line defect in a silicon photonic crystal. This is the first realization of ultrahigh-Q nanocavities by the postprocess modification of photonic crystals. With this method, we can form an ultrahigh-Q nanocavity with controllable cavity parameters at an arbitrary position along a line defect. Furthermore, the fabricated nanocavity achieves ultralow power all-optical bistable operation owing to its large cavity enhancement effect. This demonstration indicates the possibility of realizing photonic integrated circuits on demand, where various circuit patterns are written with a nanoprobe on a universal photonic crystal substrate.
authors.affiliation: NTT Basic Research Laboratories, NTT Corporation, 3-1, Morinosato-Wakamiya Atsugi, Kanagawa 243-0198, Japan. yokoo.atsushi@lab.ntt.co.jp
authors.forename: Atsushi
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Yokoo
authors.forename: Takasumi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Tanabe
authors.forename: Eiichi
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Kuramochi
authors.forename: Masaya
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Notomi
mesh_terms: D003460:Crystallization / Q000379:methods; D004581:Electronics; D020527:Microscopy, Scanning Probe / Q000379:methods; D036103:Nanotechnology / Q000379:methods*; D055096:Optical Devices; D055095:Optics and Photonics; D010087:Oxides / Q000737:chemistry; D017785:Photons; D012031:Refractometry / Q000295:instrumentation; D012825:Silicon / Q000737:chemistry
chemical_list: D010087:Oxides; D012825:Silicon