Photonic crystal planar waveguide devices exploiting the thermo-optic effect (Keynote Paper)

Photonic crystal devices are now being produced for a variety of functions-and the need to provide thermal control of the behaviour suggests the use of thermo-optic effects. It has emerged that thermo-optic effects can provide useful modulation, switching and tuning capability. Future trends indicate fast, low-power, thermo-optically operated photonic crystal and photonic wire devices-and the possibility of simultaneous athermal characteristics.