Simulation of coupling optical modes in 1D photonic crystals for optoelectronic applications

In this paper, one-dimensional photonic crystal distributed feedback structures were chosen for simulating the photonic modes. The corresponding photonic bands were calculated by using a numerical method for solving the master equation, while the reflectivity spectra of the structures were simulated by using a rigorous coupled wave analysis method. By observing the variation of the photonic band diagram and the reflectivity spectrum versus different geometrical parameters, the variation of the photonic bands was detailedly studied. We observed two kinds of photonic modes: (i) the one related to the vertical structures, and (ii) the other related to the horizontal periodic structures. The detailed analysis of the optical modes was illustrated by proposing TEn,X±,mBZ for indexing all transverse electric modes. An active layer coated on the distributed feedback structures plays an essential role in having radiative non-leaky photonic modes. The coupling between these modes, giving to anti-crossing, was also identified both by simulation and by modelling. This study can pave a way for further modelling optical modes in distributed feedback structures, and for selecting a suitable one-dimensional photonic crystal for optoelectronic applications with a specific active semiconductor layer. •Throughout investigation of photonic modes with various geometrical parameters of 1D photonic crystals.•The active layer plays an essential role in having non-leaky optical modes.•Strong anticrossing between two opposite direction non-leaky photonic modes.•Enhancement of anticrossing between photonic modes by decreasing the period and increasing the thickness of the active layer.