Designing synthetic optical media: photonic crystals

A new class of materials, called photonic crystals, affect a photon’s properties in much the same way that a semiconductor affects an electron’s properties. This represents an ability to mold and guide light that leads naturally to novel applications in several fields, including optoelectronics and telecommunications. We present an introductory survey of the basic concepts and ideas that underlie photonic crystals, and present results and devices that illustrate their potential to circumvent limits of traditional optical systems.