Numerical simulation of nonlinear properties of fullerene-containing one-dimensional photonic crystal

A model of interaction between a one-dimensional photonic crystal (PC) containing a defect (nonlinear optical layer of C-60 fullerene) and radiation with a wavelength lambda(0)= 1064 nm under steady-state conditions has been considered. This structure is a Fabry-Perot microcavity: a fullerene layer (with a thickness multiple of lambda(0)/2) is placed between the interference mirrors formed by alternating layers lambda(0)/4 thick. The PC under consideration (1) has a narrow transmission band in the vicinity of lambda(0) against the background of a relatively wide 100%-reflection band (photonic band gap) in the linear mode and (2) provides multiple amplification of the radiation intensity in the intermediate layer with respect to the external radiation intensity. Since C-60 fullerene exhibits a significant optical Kerr nonlinearity, the optical thickness of the intermediate layer under irradiation deviates from the value multiple of lambda(0)/2; as a result, 100% transmission for lambda(0) changes to almost 100% reflection at a certain radiation intensity. Thus, this structure behaves as a peculiar optical limiter.