Gap opening in two-dimensional periodic systems

We present a new method of gap control in two-dimensional periodic systems with the perturbation consisting of a second-order differential operator and a family of narrow potential “walls” separating the period cells in one direction. We show that under appropriate assumptions one can open gaps around points determined by dispersion curves of the associated “waveguide” system, in general any finite number of them, and to control their widths in terms of the perturbation parameter. Moreover, a distinctive feature of those gaps is that their edge values are attained by the corresponding band functions at internal points of the Brillouin zone.