Broadband diffraction management and self-collimation of white light in photonic lattices

Abstract

We suggest a novel type of photonic structures where the strength of diffraction can be managed in a very broad frequency range. We introduce optimized arrays of curved waveguides where light beams experience wavelength-independent normal, anomalous, or zero diffraction. Our results suggest novel opportunities for efficient self-collimation, focusing, and reshaping of beams produced by white-light and super-continuum sources. We also show how to manipulate light patterns through multicolor Talbot effect, which is possible neither in free space nor in conventional photonic lattices.