Near-field optics and control of photonic crystals

We discuss recent progress and the exciting potential of scanning probe microscopy methods for the characterization and control of photonic crystals. We demonstrate that scanning near-field optical microscopy can be used to characterize the performance of photonic crystal device components on the sub-wavelength scale. In addition, we propose scanning probe techniques for realizing local, low-loss tuning of photonic crystal resonances, based on the frequency shifts that high-index nanoscopic probes can induce. Finally, we discuss prospects for on-demand spontaneous emission control. We demonstrate theoretically that photonic crystal membranes induce large variations in spontaneous emission rate over length scales of 50 nm that can be probed by single light sources, or nanoscopic ensembles of light sources attached to the end of a scanning probe. (c) 2005 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.