Resonant scattering of light by high-Q photonic crystals nanocavities

In this work, wavelength-resolved laser light scattering can be used as a high-resolution technique for a precise characterization of passive photonic crystal (PhC) nanocavities with very high Q factors, thus offering a valid alternative to current experimental approaches based on waveguide coupling or photoluminescence . The effect of disorder on the symmetry of the cavity mode is studied. By measuring the resonant scattering spectra with different cavity orientations relative to the incident beam polarization, a progressively breaking of symmetry selection rules as well as a strong increase in the resonant scattering signal for increasing disorder are observed, which become almost independent of sample orientation.