Photonic Crystals

Type: Concept

As of November 2026, Photonic Crystals has been mentioned in one podcast episode on Cell Press (Jan 2026). Discussed as a platform for demonstrating nanopotonic cavities.

A photonic crystal is an optical nanostructure in which the refractive index changes periodically. This affects the propagation of light in the same way that the structure of natural crystals gives rise to X-ray diffraction and that the atomic lattices of semiconductors affect their conductivity of electrons. Photonic crystals occur in nature in the form of structural coloration and animal reflectors, and, as artificially produced, promise to be useful in a range of applications.