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Abstract

A photonic band gap structure device and method for delaying photonic signals of a predetermined frequency and a predetermined bandwidth by a predetermined delay is provided. A Fabry-Perot delay line device has several regions of periodically alternating refractive material layers which exhibit a series of photonic band gaps and a periodicity defect region, interposed between the regions of periodically alternating refractive material layers. The Fabry-Perot delay line device imparts a predetermined delay to photonic signals that pass therethrough. The introduction of the periodicity defect region into this photonic band gap structure creates a sharp transmission resonance within the corresponding photonic band gap of the structure and causes at least an order of magnitude improvement in photonic signal delay for a band-edge delay line device of similar size. Variable photonic delays to multiple photonic signals are also generated by this Fabry-Perot delay line device. In addition, a photonic signal delay device based on an optical fiber grating structure is provided. A defect layer doped with a gain medium increases the density of modes thereby increasing the density of photons at a particular frequency. The introduction of gain automatically causes an increase in the photon density, and therefore, a narrowing of the density of modes. This allows tuning of the group velocity, just as if periods were being added. This also enables larger delays.

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