Quantitative analysis of photonic crystal waveguides

We have used transmission measurements to estimate the propagation loss of submicron channels defined in two-dimensional photonic crystals patterned into a Ga(Al)As waveguide. The measured propagation loss of the fundamental mode is indistinguishable from the material absorption, setting an upper limit of 50 cm(-1) (2 dB per 100 mum). We also find that, provided the etching is deep enough, propagation losses of these photonic crystal waveguides are lower than those of ridge waveguides etched in the same run. (C) 2000 American Institute of Physics. [S0003-6951(00)04144-9].