Post-fabrication control of evanescent tunnelling in photonic crystal molecules

The post-fabrication control of evanescent tunnelling in photonic crystal molecules is demonstrated through the combination of selective infiltration and oxidation. By laser non thermal oxidation, we reduce the photonic coupling by more than 30% while by means of water micro-infiltration, we increase it by 28%. Fine-tuning of the photonic coupling is achieved by low-power laser oxidation and forced evaporation, opening the route to post-fabrication control of array of coupled cavities. (C) 2012 American Institute of Physics. [http://dx.doi.org/10.1063/1.4767216]