Low-threshold optical parametric oscillations in a whispering gallery mode resonator

In whispering gallery mode (WGM) resonator light is guided by continuous total internal reflection along a curved surface. Fabricating such resonators from an optically nonlinear material one takes advantage of their exceptionally high quality factors and small mode volumes to achieve extremely efficient optical frequency conversion. Our analysis of the phase-matching conditions for optical parametric down-conversion (PDC) in a spherical WGM resonator shows their direct relation to the sum rules for photons' angular momenta and predicts a very low parametric oscillation threshold. We realized such an optical parametric oscillator (OPO) based on naturally phase-matched PDC in lithium niobate. We demonstrated a single-mode, strongly nondegenerate OPO with a threshold of 6.7 μW and linewidth under 10 MHz. This work demonstrates the remarkable capabilities of WGM-based OPOs.     

Low threshold optical oscillations in a whispering gallery mode CaF(2) resonator

We have observed low-threshold optical hyperparametric oscillations in a high-Q fluorite whispering gallery mode resonator. The oscillations result from the resonantly enhanced four-wave mixing occurring due to Kerr nonlinearity of the material. We demonstrate that, because of the narrow bandwidth of the resonator modes as well as the high efficiency of the resonant frequency conversion, the oscillations produce stable narrow-band beat-note of the pump, signal, and idler waves. A theoretical model for this process is described.     

回音壁模式光学谐振腔研究进展

近些年来,回音壁模式光学谐振腔因其超高的品质因数、极小的模式体积,引起了各国学者的广泛关注,在民用以及军用器件方面都发挥了重要的作用.目前,对回音壁模式光学谐振腔的研究主要包括微波光子学,非线性光学以及惯性导航器件等.本文对当前各国学者在回音壁模式谐振腔方面的研究情况进行了汇总和总结,将从6个方面对其进行论述:特性参数...     

Photoinduced whispering gallery mode microcavity resonator in a chalcogenide microfiber

We demonstrate an approach to creating localized whispering gallery mode (WGM) microcavities by exploiting the photosensitivity of a chalcogenide (As2S3) microfiber. A highly prolate WGM microcavity with cavity quality factors (Q) exceeding 2×10(5) is fabricated and characterized. Without the need for geometrical shaping, our approach enables the cavity properties to be monitored during fabrication for the first time.     

Tunable optical frequency comb with a crystalline whispering gallery mode resonator

We report on the experimental demonstration of a tunable monolithic optical frequency comb generator. The device is based on four-wave mixing in a crystalline calcium fluoride whispering gallery mode resonator. The frequency spacing of the comb is given by an integer number of the free spectral range of the resonator. We select the desired number by tuning the frequency of the pumping laser with respect to the corresponding resonator mode. We also observe a rich variety of optical combs and high-frequency hyperparametric oscillation, depending on the experimental conditions. A potential application of the comb for generating tunable narrow band frequency microwave signals is demonstrated.     

Ringdown spectroscopy of stimulated Raman scattering in a whispering gallery mode resonator

We report experimental observations of power-dependent, nonexponential decay of light stored in whispering gallery modes caused by stimulated Raman scattering in the resonator host material. Specifically, we show that the instantaneous decay rate of whispering gallery modes of a calcium fluoride resonator increases as the amount of light stored in the resonator decreases.     

Millimeter-wave whispering gallery modes in an ellipsoidal dielectric resonator with a small ellipticity

It is found that, when the shape of a dielectric sphere (hemisphere) operating under the whispering gallery mode conditions is perturbed by a surface curvature gradient (ellipticity), the unloaded Q factor of the sphere degrades and its resonance frequencies change. It is shown theoretically and experimentally that an elliptic irregularity removes frequency degeneracy of whispering gallery modes at millimeter waves.     

High-Q whispering gallery modes in a spherical shell dielectric resonator: Characterization at microwave frequencies

We present a numerical and experimental characterization of high-Q whispering gallery resonant modes excited in a fused quartz spherical shell operated in the 18-26.5 GHz band; easy coupling and selection of modes is a most advantageous feature of the proposed structure with respect to ordinary bulk resonators. The numerical results, based on a finite element algorithm, well match experimental data, which also show the capability of our device to perform gaseous spectroscopy measurements. Received 25 October 2002 Published online 4 February 2003     

Photorefractive tuning of whispering gallery modes of a spherical resonator integrated inside a microstructured optical fibre

We demonstrate the photorefractive tuning of the whispering gallery modes of a single BaTiO₃ microsphere resonator integrated inside a grapefruit-shaped microstructured optical fibre, upon CW laser irradiation at 532 nm while using irradiation intensities up to 5.5 W/cm². Temporal evolution results of the WGM spectra are provided with respect to the illumination and relaxation conditions applied.     

Surface plasmon enhanced ultra-low threshold second harmonic generation in periodically poled whispering gallery resonator

The surface plasmon enhanced ultra-low threshold second harmonic generation is observed, designed and simulated in whispering gallery resonator made of MgO doped periodically poled LiNbO₃. Here the electric field associated with incident optical radiation of picowatt level is amplified to milliwatt level through surface plasmon resonance in Kretschmann geometry which is formed by a BK₇ prism plane, 29 nm thin gold layer and 20 nm thin GaAs layer. This enhanced electric field then coupled to a whispering gallery resonator, which facilitated the generation of second harmonic for an incident laser radiation of picowatt level. In this proposed configuration with an incident optical power of 94.6 pW, generated second harmonic through whispering gallery resonator is found to be 14.6 mW.     

White-light whispering gallery mode resonators

We propose theoretically and demonstrate experimentally white-light whispering gallery mode resonators. These resonators have essentially a continuous modal spectrum accompanied by ultrahigh-Q frequency-independent quality factors. Applications of the resonators for ringdown spectroscopy and light modulation are discussed.     

Coupled whispering gallery modes in a multilayer-coated microsphere

Whispering gallery modes in a microsphere coated with three layers of high, low, and high refractive indices (RIs) are considered. Coastal modes and inland modes, centered on the outer and inner high-RI layers, exist as different radial modes. At right values of RI and thickness of the three layers, an inland mode and a coastal mode couple to produce a radial distribution of the photonic field that resembles bonding and antibonding orbitals. The coupling occurs across a layer of the middle low-RI layer, much thicker than the wavelength of light. The coupling is analyzed in a quantum-mechanical analog of a one-dimensional particle in a double-well potential.     

Visualizing the whispering gallery modes in a cylindrical optical microcavity

Whispering gallery modes in cylindrical integrated optics microcavities have, for what is to our knowledge the first time, been mapped with a photon scanning tunneling microscope. Optical images were obtained with a spatial resolution of 50 nm. By combination of information on the spatial optical distributions with wavelength-dependent measurements, an unexpectedly rich variety of intracavity phenomena, such as polarization conversion and interference of copropagating and counterpropagating modes, could be directly observed. A quantitative comparison of the experimental data with computer simulations results in a comprehensive understanding of the various whispering gallery modes inside the microcavity.     

Whispering gallery modes in a conical resonator

A conical closed resonator with perfectly conducting walls is considered. The eigenmodes of the resonator are determined in the first order of perturbation theory, in which the cone angle is a small quantity. A semiclassical approximation is constructed for an arbitrary cone angle; it is shown that the spectrum of whispering gallery modes in this approximation differs insignificantly from the eigenmode spectrum of a cylindrical cavity even for a large cone angle.     

凹圆柱面内的波和回音壁

本文结合回音壁的声学特点分析了凹圆柱面内有关的波。当声源接近于凹面时,产生沿表面传播的波,文中给出声场的径向分布。文中还给出线源情形下各反射波的表示式和得到一次反射声焦散面的图解法。     

ESR spectroscopy at 75 GHz by using a whispering gallery mode dielectric resonator and an electromagnet: Part I

Disc-shaped Whispering Gallery Mode (WGM) dielectric resonators were used to obtain ESR spectra of powder samples at 75 GHz. A mechanically and electronically controlled Gunn diode was used while the static magnetic fieldB ₀ was obtained by modifying a Bruker electromagnet. WGM resonators having a diameter of 30 mm were prevalently used. The samples were contained in polyethylene holders suitably designed so that the resonator could retain its original circular symmetry and the sample could stay as close as possible to the curved outer rim of the resonator.Q-factors of the order of 10⁴ were obtained at room temperature when single crystal quartz was used for the disc resonator. Anyway, the value ofQ could be easily controlled by using different materials for the WGM disc. The gained experience allows one to foresee that WGM resonators can be used with similar results also at frequencies up to 150 and 300 GHz. ESR spectra of many organic and inorganic samples will be reported in Part II of this paper. Here, an evaluation is made of the intensity of the electromagnetic field on a selected sample. Suitable holders for liquid samples are under study.     

Quantum theory of whispering gallery modes in a cylindrical optical microcavity

The quantum interpretation of whispering gallery modes in a cylindrical optical microcavity is presented in analogy with quantum mechanical theory. The formulas for the resonance shifts caused by a small change in correlative refractive index are derived. Then they are applied to two applications of the cylindrical microcavity to probe the change of surrounding medium and the nonlinear effect of cavity's surface.     

Optical whispering gallery modes in dodecagonal zinc oxide microcrystals

We have investigated optical modes in zinc oxide micropillars with dodecagonal cross section using polarization-resolved microphotoluminescence spectroscopy. Luminescence spectra of such pillars show series of resonance lines with characteristic line widths and spacings. The spectral positions of the observed lines can be explained assuming a circular two-dimensional dielectric resonator. Lowest radial mode numbers (n=1,2) indicate optical whispering gallery modes.