Wavelength demultiplexing structure based on coupled-cavity waveguides in photonic crystals

A structure based on photonic crystals for optical wavelength demultiplexing is proposed and analyzed. This structure consists of two coupled-cavity waveguides, each one tuned at a different frequency transmission band. A model based on the tight-binding method taken from solid-state physics is used to design the working frequencies of the waveguides. The demultiplexing behavior is demonstrated by means of simulations employing a finite-difference time-domain method. It is concluded that the demultiplexing mechanism presented here may be used as a building block in multifunctional lightwave integrated circuits based on photonic crystals.