We demonstrate a novel type of slow light photonic crystal waveguide which can produce unusual “U” type group index - frequency curves with constant group index $n_g$ over large bandwidth. By shifting the boundaries of this waveguide, flexible control of $n_g$ (10 < $n_g$ < 210) with large bandwidth (1nm<Δλ<43nm centered at 1550nm) and normalized Delay-Bandwidth Product (0.1363<DBP<0.3143) are achieved. Additionally, depending on the chosen waveguide geometry, extremely low group velocity dispersion (GVD<0.5 ps.nm⁻¹.mm⁻¹), with controllable group velocity dispersion of both signs is obtained.

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1. Y. A. Vlasov, M. O’Boyle, H. F. Hamann, and S. J. McNab, “Active control of slow light on a chip with photonic crystal waveguides,” Nat. 438(7064), 65–69 (2005). [CrossRef]
2. R. Won, “Slow light now and then,” Nat. Photonics 2(8), 454–455 (2008). [CrossRef]
3. T. F. Krauss, “Why do we need slow light?” Nat. Photon. 2(8), 448–450 (2008). [CrossRef]
4. T. Baba, “Slow light in photonic crystals,” Nat. Photon. 2(8), 465–473 (2008). [CrossRef]
5. T. F. Krauss, “Slow light in photonic crystal waveguides,” J. Phys. D Appl. Phys. 40(9), 2666–2670 (2007). [CrossRef]
6. M. D. Lukin and A. Imamoğlu, “Controlling photons using electromagnetically induced transparency,” Nature 413(6853), 273–276 (2001). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
7. M. S. Bigelow, N. N. Lepeshkin, and R. W. Boyd, “Observation of ultraslow light propagation in a ruby crystal at room temperature,” Phys. Rev. Lett. 90(11), 113903 (2003). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
8. M. Notomi, K. Yamada, A. Shinya, J. Takahashi, C. Takahashi, and I. Yokohama, “Extremely large group-velocity dispersion of line-defect waveguides in photonic crystal slabs,” Phys. Rev. Lett. 113903, 87 (2001). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
9. M. Loncar, T. Doll, J. Vuckovic, and A. Scherer, “Design and fabrication of silicon photonic crystal optical waveguides,” J. Lightwave Technol. 18(10), 1402–1411 (2000). [CrossRef]
10. E. Dulkeith, F. N. Xia, L. Schares, W. M. J. Green, and Y. A. Vlasov, “Group index and group velocity dispersion in silicon-on-insulator photonic wires,” Opt. Express 14(9), 3853–3863 (2006). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
11. L. H. Frandsen, A. V. Lavrinenko, J. Fage-Pedersen, and P. I. Borel, “Photonic crystal waveguides with semi-slow light and tailored dispersion properties,” Opt. Express 14(20), 9444–9450 (2006). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
12. J. Li, T. P. White, L. O’Faolain, A. Gomez-Iglesias, and T. F. Krauss, “Systematic design of flat band slow light in photonic crystal waveguides,” Opt. Express 16(9), 6227–6232 (2008). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
13. A. Säynätjoki, M. Mulot, J. Ahopelto, and H. Lipsanen, “Dispersion engineering of photonic crystal waveguides with ring-shaped holes,” Opt. Express 15(13), 8323–8328 (2007). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
14. J. Hou, D. Gao, H. Wu, and R. Hao, “Flat Band Slow Light in Symmetric Line Defect Photonic Crystals Waveguide,” IEEE Photon. Tech. Lett. 21, 1571-1573 (2009). [CrossRef]
15. L. Dai and C. Jiang, “Photonic crystal slow light waveguides with large delay-bandwidth product,” Appl. Phys. B 95(1), 105–111 (2009). [CrossRef]
16. T. Baba, T. Kawaaski, H. Sasaki, J. Adachi, and D. Mori, “Large delay-bandwidth product and tuning of slow light pulse in photonic crystal coupled waveguide,” Opt. Express 16(12), 9245–9253 (2008). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
17. D. Mori and T. Baba, “Wideband and low dispersion slow light by chirped photonic crystal coupled waveguide,” Opt. Express 13(23), 9398–9408 (2005). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
18. S. McNab, N. Moll, and Y. Vlasov, “Ultra-low loss photonic integrated circuit with membrane-type photonic crystal waveguides,” Opt. Express 11(22), 2927–2939 (2003). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
19. D. Marris-Morini, E. Cassan, D. Bernier, G. Maire, and L. Vivien, “Ultracompact tapers for light coupling into two-dimensional slab photonic-crystal waveguides in the slow light regime,” Opt. Eng. 47(1), 014602 (2008). [CrossRef]
20. J. P. Hugonin, P. Lalanne, T. P. White, and T. F. Krauss, “Coupling into slow-mode photonic crystal waveguides,” Opt. Lett. 32(18), 2638–2640 (2007). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
21. C. Martijn de Sterke, K. B. Dossou, T. P. White, L. C. Botten, and R. C. McPhedran, “Efficient coupling into slow light photonic crystal waveguide without transition region: role of evanescent modes,” Opt. Express 17(20), 17338–17343 (2009). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
22. D. Mori, S. Kubo, H. Sasaki, and T. Baba, “Experimental demonstration of wideband dispersion-compensated slow light by a chirped photonic crystal directional coupler,” Opt. Express 15(9), 5264–5270 (2007). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
23. J. Jágerská, N. Le Thomas, V. Zabelin, R. Houdré, W. Bogaerts, P. Dumon, and R. Baets, “Experimental observation of slow mode dispersion in photonic crystal coupled-cavity waveguides,” Opt. Lett. 34(3), 359–361 (2009). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
24. M. D. Settle, R. J. P. Engelen, M. Salib, A. Michaeli, L. Kuipers, and T. F. Krauss, “Flatband slow light in photonic crystals featuring spatial pulse compression and terahertz bandwidth,” Opt. Express 15(1), 219–226 (2007). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
25. J. Ma and C. Jiang, “Demonstration of ultraslow modes in asymmetric line-defect photonic crystal waveguides,” IEEE Photon. Technol. Lett. 20(14), 1237–1239 (2008). [CrossRef]
26. R. J. P. Engelen, Y. Sugimoto, Y. Watanabe, J. P. Korterik, N. Ikeda, N. F. van Hulst, K. Asakawa, and L. Kuipers, “The effect of higher-order dispersion on slow light propagation in photonic crystal waveguides,” Opt. Express 14(4), 1658–1672 (2006). [CrossRef] [PubMed]

Appl. Phys. B

• L. Dai and C. Jiang, “Photonic crystal slow light waveguides with large delay-bandwidth product,” Appl. Phys. B 95(1), 105–111 (2009). [CrossRef]

IEEE Photon. Technol. Lett.

• J. Ma and C. Jiang, “Demonstration of ultraslow modes in asymmetric line-defect photonic crystal waveguides,” IEEE Photon. Technol. Lett. 20(14), 1237–1239 (2008). [CrossRef]

J. Lightwave Technol.

• M. Loncar, T. Doll, J. Vuckovic, and A. Scherer, “Design and fabrication of silicon photonic crystal optical waveguides,” J. Lightwave Technol. 18(10), 1402–1411 (2000). [CrossRef]

J. Phys. D Appl. Phys.

• T. F. Krauss, “Slow light in photonic crystal waveguides,” J. Phys. D Appl. Phys. 40(9), 2666–2670 (2007). [CrossRef]

Nat.

• Y. A. Vlasov, M. O’Boyle, H. F. Hamann, and S. J. McNab, “Active control of slow light on a chip with photonic crystal waveguides,” Nat. 438(7064), 65–69 (2005). [CrossRef]

Nat. Photon.

• T. F. Krauss, “Why do we need slow light?” Nat. Photon. 2(8), 448–450 (2008). [CrossRef]
• T. Baba, “Slow light in photonic crystals,” Nat. Photon. 2(8), 465–473 (2008). [CrossRef]

Nat. Photonics

• R. Won, “Slow light now and then,” Nat. Photonics 2(8), 454–455 (2008). [CrossRef]

Nature

• M. D. Lukin and A. Imamoğlu, “Controlling photons using electromagnetically induced transparency,” Nature 413(6853), 273–276 (2001). [CrossRef] [PubMed]

Opt. Eng.

• D. Marris-Morini, E. Cassan, D. Bernier, G. Maire, and L. Vivien, “Ultracompact tapers for light coupling into two-dimensional slab photonic-crystal waveguides in the slow light regime,” Opt. Eng. 47(1), 014602 (2008). [CrossRef]

Opt. Express

• C. Martijn de Sterke, K. B. Dossou, T. P. White, L. C. Botten, and R. C. McPhedran, “Efficient coupling into slow light photonic crystal waveguide without transition region: role of evanescent modes,” Opt. Express 17(20), 17338–17343 (2009). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
• D. Mori, S. Kubo, H. Sasaki, and T. Baba, “Experimental demonstration of wideband dispersion-compensated slow light by a chirped photonic crystal directional coupler,” Opt. Express 15(9), 5264–5270 (2007). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
• R. J. P. Engelen, Y. Sugimoto, Y. Watanabe, J. P. Korterik, N. Ikeda, N. F. van Hulst, K. Asakawa, and L. Kuipers, “The effect of higher-order dispersion on slow light propagation in photonic crystal waveguides,” Opt. Express 14(4), 1658–1672 (2006). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
• M. D. Settle, R. J. P. Engelen, M. Salib, A. Michaeli, L. Kuipers, and T. F. Krauss, “Flatband slow light in photonic crystals featuring spatial pulse compression and terahertz bandwidth,” Opt. Express 15(1), 219–226 (2007). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
• E. Dulkeith, F. N. Xia, L. Schares, W. M. J. Green, and Y. A. Vlasov, “Group index and group velocity dispersion in silicon-on-insulator photonic wires,” Opt. Express 14(9), 3853–3863 (2006). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
• L. H. Frandsen, A. V. Lavrinenko, J. Fage-Pedersen, and P. I. Borel, “Photonic crystal waveguides with semi-slow light and tailored dispersion properties,” Opt. Express 14(20), 9444–9450 (2006). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
• J. Li, T. P. White, L. O’Faolain, A. Gomez-Iglesias, and T. F. Krauss, “Systematic design of flat band slow light in photonic crystal waveguides,” Opt. Express 16(9), 6227–6232 (2008). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
• A. Säynätjoki, M. Mulot, J. Ahopelto, and H. Lipsanen, “Dispersion engineering of photonic crystal waveguides with ring-shaped holes,” Opt. Express 15(13), 8323–8328 (2007). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
• T. Baba, T. Kawaaski, H. Sasaki, J. Adachi, and D. Mori, “Large delay-bandwidth product and tuning of slow light pulse in photonic crystal coupled waveguide,” Opt. Express 16(12), 9245–9253 (2008). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
• D. Mori and T. Baba, “Wideband and low dispersion slow light by chirped photonic crystal coupled waveguide,” Opt. Express 13(23), 9398–9408 (2005). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
• S. McNab, N. Moll, and Y. Vlasov, “Ultra-low loss photonic integrated circuit with membrane-type photonic crystal waveguides,” Opt. Express 11(22), 2927–2939 (2003). [CrossRef] [PubMed]

Opt. Lett.

• J. Jágerská, N. Le Thomas, V. Zabelin, R. Houdré, W. Bogaerts, P. Dumon, and R. Baets, “Experimental observation of slow mode dispersion in photonic crystal coupled-cavity waveguides,” Opt. Lett. 34(3), 359–361 (2009). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
• J. P. Hugonin, P. Lalanne, T. P. White, and T. F. Krauss, “Coupling into slow-mode photonic crystal waveguides,” Opt. Lett. 32(18), 2638–2640 (2007). [CrossRef] [PubMed]

Phys. Rev. Lett.

• M. S. Bigelow, N. N. Lepeshkin, and R. W. Boyd, “Observation of ultraslow light propagation in a ruby crystal at room temperature,” Phys. Rev. Lett. 90(11), 113903 (2003). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
• M. Notomi, K. Yamada, A. Shinya, J. Takahashi, C. Takahashi, and I. Yokohama, “Extremely large group-velocity dispersion of line-defect waveguides in photonic crystal slabs,” Phys. Rev. Lett. 113903, 87 (2001). [CrossRef] [PubMed]

Other

• J. Hou, D. Gao, H. Wu, and R. Hao, “Flat Band Slow Light in Symmetric Line Defect Photonic Crystals Waveguide,” IEEE Photon. Tech. Lett. 21, 1571-1573 (2009). [CrossRef]

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