Microfluidic tunable photonic band-gap device

A technique for the dynamic tuning of photonic band gap (PBG) materials was developed through the controlled displacement of microfluidic plugs. The two-dimensional PBG material was provided by the transverse use of a photonic crystal fiber and the obtained spectra were compared to a band-structure calculation of an idealized PBG material. The band-gap properties of the material were then switched at will by moving the microfluidic plugs into and out of the optical interaction region through an induced pressure gradient. The results demonstrated tall microchip geometry by experimentally showing PBG effects in a photonic crystal fiber interrogated transversely.