Zener tunneling of light in an optical superlattice

We report on the observation of resonant Zener tunnelling of light waves in an optical superlattice. The one dimensional (1D) structures are made in free-standing porous silicon and are designed specifically to exhibit two photonic minibands. A controlled optical path gradient has been maintained over the sample thickness which resulted in tilting of photonic minibands and formation of optical Wannier-Stark ladders. At a certain value of optical gradient the two minibands couple within the extension of the structure and a resonant tunnelling channel through the superlattice forms, resulting in a very high transmission peak. Ultrafast time resolved transmission experiments were performed: excitation of the Wannier-Stark states causes the appearance of photonic Bloch oscillations, which are strongly damped when Zener tunneling modes are excited. The observed phenomenon is the optical analogue of resonant Zener tunnelling in an electronic superlattice. © 2005 Materials Research Society.