Properties of photonic lattices created using arrays of coupled vertical cavity surface emitting lasers

Summary form only given. Structures with a periodically modulated refractive index are frequently discussed in the context of the possibility of forming a "photonic bandgap". These would be useful for many applications in optoelectronics, e.g. ultra-low threshold lasers, more efficient light emitting diodes or novel waveguides. Another class of photonic lattices relies on the analogy of the bound photon states in arrays of microcavities to electronic states in a lattice of atoms. Recently, this inspired the realization of photonic molecules and photonic lattices constructed using arrays of coupled microcavities. Such periodic arrangements of bound photon modes have been used to realize disordered and-lately-strained photonic lattices.