Measurement of high-Q microcavity resonance in a GaAs/Al/sub x/O/sub y/ photonic bandgap air-bridge microcavity near /spl lambda/=1550 nm

Summary form only given. Periodically spaced holes in a high dielectric contrast waveguide system lead to the formation of a one-dimensional photonic bandgap (PBG). A change in the spacing between the two center holes places a defect state in the photonic bandgap and creates an optical resonance. The modal volume of the resonance in such a structure is of the the order (/spl lambda//2n), where n is the refractive index of the material. Such devices have previously been studied in the Si/SiO/sub 2/ material system. This work presents observations of photonic resonances in GaAs/Al/sub x/O/sub y/ PBG microcavities. The III-V compound semiconductor system offers the possibilities of active as well as electro-optically controlled devices. These results are for air bridge microcavities, where the oxide material under the PBG crystal has been etched away, suspending the cavity in air to provide a greater index contrast and higher confinement.