Dynamical control of light propagation in nonlinear photonic crystals by applied electric fields

We propose that, by applying an electric field to a Kerr nonlinear photonic crystal, we can tune its photonic band gap and dynamically control the light propagation. The method is efficient and easy to implement in practice. The transmission behavior of the light caused by nonlinear effects induced by both the external electric field and the light is numerically studied in detail in a one-dimensional superlattice. The dynamical control of light propagation can also be made possible in a Pockels photonic crystal by applying an electric field. (C) 2004 American Institute of Physics.