Multi-step multi-beam laser interference patterning of three-dimensional photonic lattices

We present laser interference patterning of three-dimensional photonic lattice structures with three-step three-beam irradiation. In contrast to one-step four-beam interference patterning, the proposed method makes it possible to continuously tune the lattice constant and the photonic band gap without distortion of the lattice shape. We analytically show that all fourteen Bravais lattices are possible to be produced by choosing proper incident vectors of laser beams. A simple routine to seek the geometrical configuration of the incident beams for producing arbitrary Bravais lattices is shown. Furthermore, We experimentally demonstrate the fabrication of three-dimensional photonic lattices in the photoresist SU-8. Significant photonic band gap effects have been observed from the well-defined photonic lattices. (c) 2006 Optical Society of America.