Nanophotonic resonators attract interest for a range of potential applications and fundamental studies. Three-dimensional (3D) photonic bandgap cavities have additional advantages because there is no direction in which the light can escape and light can be stored longer. Now researchers have devised a structure that can be made in silicon and results in a 3D photonic bandgap cavity. Potential future applications of the technique include lasing, LEDs, information storage, sensors and quantum computing, as well as fundamental studies of the behaviour of light in optical cavities.
http://nanotechweb.org/cws/article/tech/58809
SEM image of a photonic crystal in silicon