Reducing disorder-induced losses for slow light photonic crystal waveguides through Bloch mode engineering.

We present theory and measurements of disorder-induced losses for low loss 1.5 mm long slow light photonic crystal waveguides. A recent class of dispersion engineered waveguides increases the bandwidth of slow light and shows lower propagation losses for the same group index. Our theory and experiments explain how Bloch mode engineering can substantially reduce scattering losses for the same slow light group velocity regime.