Characterization of band structures and surface modes in two-dimensional photonic crystals

The ultrafast optoelectronic technique of coherent microwave transient spectroscopy (COMITS) is applied to the measurement of photonic band structure phenomena in two-dimensional periodic dielectric arrays. The phase sensitivity of COMITS is exploited to measure the dispersion relation of electromagnetic radiation propagating in regular arrays of alumina ceramic rods. An attenuated-total-reflection configuration is used to demonstrate the coupling of microwave radiation to electromagnetic surface modes which exist at the interfaces of suitably terminated photonic crystals.