Band gap widening by photonic crystal heterostructures composed of two dimensional holes and diamond structure

A new kind of heterostructures containing 3D diamond and 2D holes structures, and diamond-structure photonic crystals and 2D holes-structure photonic crystals fabricated by stereolithography and gel-casting with alumina were studied at microwave range, respectively. The heterostructures were designed by 2D holes structure embedded in 3D diamond structure, in which the lattice of three kinds of structures was equivalent. It was found that the band gaps of photonic crystal heterostructure were broadened by 124.6% and 150% comparing to that of diamond-structure crystal and 2D aerial holes structure. Experimental results showed the band gap broadened was not connected with a linear superposition of the band gap of 2D and 3D photonic crystals, which was the superposition of partial overlap.