Chirped dual periodic structures for photonic Bloch oscillations and Zener tunneling.

Experimental evidence of photon Wannier-stark ladders (WSLs) and Zener tunneling (ZT) in one dimensional dual-periodical (DP) optical superlattices based on Porous Silicon (PSi), is presented. An introduction of linear gradient in physical thickness of the layers, composed of five stacks of two different periodic substructures, resulted in the appearance of four WSLs resonances and resonant Zener tunneling of nearest resonances of two consecutive WSLs. Theoretical analysis of time-resolved reflection spectra as a function of gradient reveals the presence of photonic Bloch oscillations (BOs) and an eventual tunneling at a specific value of linear gradient (20%), has been demonstrated through scattering maps. Measured reflection from different DP photonic structures confirm the presence of minibands, WSLs and ZT in the near infrared region.