Comparison Study of the Band-gap Structure of a 1D-Photonic Crystal by Using TMM and FDTD Analyses

A variety of numerical methods has been developed to demonstrate the nature of photons propagating in an artificially-composed periodic structure. Differences will be generated by different kinds of numerical approaches. In this work, we carry out two types of numerical calculations, TMM (transfer matrix method) and FDTD (finite different time domain) calculations. In terms of the 1D-photonic crystal structures with two different structures, we illustrate the energy band spectra, and the results show dispersive characteristics for the optical transmission and reflection of the crystal material. Through a discussion of the mechanism, detailed comparison studies are preformed based on the different physical conditions. The results given in the work will help in better understanding the ways in which photons propagate in an artificially-composed periodic structure.