Control of the average light transmission in one-dimensional photonic structures by tuning the random layer thickness distribution

In this work we have studied the optical properties of disordered photonic structures, in which we have controlled the distribution of the random layer thickness. Such structures are characterized by the usual alternation of high and low refractive index layers, but the layer thickness follows the aforementioned distribution. We have used two types of distributions: a distribution in which each thickness has the same probability to occur and one in which the thickness follows a Gaussian function. We have simulated the average transmission all over the spectrum for photonic structure characterized by a different width of the distribution. We have found that the choice of the distribution of the layer thickness is a control of the average transmission of a random photonic structure. Photonic structures, fabricated following these distributions, can be interesting for the fabrication of bandpass optical filters. (C) 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.