Coupled-resonator optical waveguides doped with nanocrystals

Microsphere resonators doped with semiconductor nanocrystals are explored as building blocks for coupled-resonator optical waveguides (CROWs). The evolution of individual cavity modes into coherently coupled waveguide modes is studied using polarization-sensitive microphotoluminescence spectroscopy. To demonstrate the formation of multisphere photon states, we use a bent linear array of microresonators and probe the properties of the cavity photon field by the spatially and spectrally resolved measurement of the nanocrystal emission. Photon mode coupling is evidenced by the observed mode splitting and emission intensity distributions along the CROW structure.     

Coupled-resonator optical waveguide: a proposal and analysis

We propose a new type of optical waveguide that consists of a sequence of coupled high-Q resonators. Unlike other types of optical waveguide, waveguiding in the coupled-resonator optical waveguide (CROW) is achieved through weak coupling between otherwise localized high-Q optical cavities. Employing a formalism similar to the tight-binding method in solid-state physics, we obtain the relations for the dispersion and the group velocity of the photonic band of the CROW's and find that they are solely characterized by coupling factor k(1) . We also demonstrate the possibility of highly efficient nonlinear optical frequency conversion and perfect transmission through bends in CROW's.     

Q-factor of spherical optical silicon dioxide nanoresonators

The Q-factor of the bound optical modes of silicon dioxide spheres with a radius smaller than one micron has been studied in the visible spectrum, showing that local photonic states with a nonzero orbital momentum yield a thin structure in glow spectra, whose maxima positions depend on the diameters of SiO₂ nanospheres. A theoretical model to calculate the Q-factor of nanoresonators depending on the wavelengths of bound modes and the radius value of spheres has been proposed. It has been shown that the quality of an optical resonator increases as its diameter grows. The Q-factor values have been calculated for the visible light of the order of 10 for spheres smaller than 1 μm in diameter and 10⁶ for spheres of more than 7 μm in diameter. A dependence of bound modes’ radiation propagation outside of the sphere on their wavelengths and orbital momenta has been detected.     

Ti:LiNbO3 optical waveguides

Various experiments on Ti diffused optical waveguides in LiNbO₃ have been carried out in order to determine precisely the character of the diffusion process. The required guide parameters and the effective mode indices could be controlled by adjusting only the diffusion time under fixed temperature and film thickness. Therefore the dependence of the guide characteristics on the diffusion time has been investigated in detail. On the basis of the data obtained, a two-stage diffusion model is proposed. In the first stage, the Ti diffusant profile is described by a erfc-function, and the second stage is characterized by a modified Gaussian form.     

Proton-exchange influence on the polar phonons of LiTaO3 optical waveguides

Refractive index change and Raman scattering of Z-cut proton-exchanged LiTaO₃ optical waveguides with different composition have been studied. Probing of the waveguide depth was carried out by using micro-Raman spectroscopy in order to distinguish layers with different phase states. Varying the proton-exchange and post-exchange annealing regimes, two phases –α and β– in addition to the pure LiTaO₃, were clearly observed. The behaviour of the A ₁ vibrations of the TaO₆ groups was found to be very sensitive to the phase changes. Using data from waveguide Raman spectra, normal and oblique E(TO, LO) phonons were sorted and their properties were followed in the α and β phases. The OH-stretchings are considered to correspond to dipoles turned out of the oxygen planes. Received: 9 July 1999 / Accepted: 11 October 1999 / Published online: 24 March 2000     

Extrinsic optical scattering loss in photonic crystal waveguides: role of fabrication disorder and photon group velocity

Formulas are presented that provide clear physical insight into the phenomenon of extrinsic optical scattering loss in photonic crystal waveguides due to random fabrication imperfections such as surface roughness and disorder. Using a photon Green-function-tensor formalism, we derive explicit expressions for the backscattered and total transmission losses. Detailed calculations for planar photonic crystals yield extrinsic loss values in overall agreement with experimental measurements, including the full dispersion characteristics. We also report that loss in photonic crystal waveguides scales inversely with group velocity, at least, thereby raising serious questions about future low-loss applications based on operating frequencies that approach the photonic band edge.     

Dichroic optical waveguides and lasers

The transverse structure of modes in optical waveguides and resonators filled with dichroic media is investigated. Two families of Hermite-Gaussian modes, corresponding to two orthogonal polarizations of radiation, are found for transversely one-dimensional field distributions and for approximating the characteristics of the medium by quadratic functions of the transverse coordinate. Angular selectivity is displayed by extraordinary waves and is manifested in a decrease in the increment of the mode upon an increase in the mode number. With account of the absence of deformation in the lowest mode due to selection, this implies that resonators containing dichroic media (including photon crystals) are promising for reducing the angular divergence of laser beams.     

Theory of optical waveguides

This report summarizes the activities at the 3rd International Workshop on Optical Waveguide Theory, held at the Scuola Superiore Guglielmo Reiss Romoli, L'Aquila, Italy, on 9–11 September, 1978.     

Measurements on high-bandwidth optical waveguides

Frequency response measurements on six high-bandwidth optical waveguides made by the doped deposited silica process are reported. One of these had an extrapolated bandwidth in excess of 3 GHz-km. From plane wave measurements the actual or optimum waveguide profile may be determined given the other. Data taken on a germanium borosilicate waveguide is in agreement with interference measurements.     

Losses in diffused optical waveguides

It has been shown that the attenuation characteristics of TE modes in diffused waveguides are different from those of a conventional slab. A simple semiempirical analysis is performed on the base of a ray-optics picture assuming a parabolic index distribution. Analytical expressions for surface scattering and volume loss are derived. The analysis precisely describes the modal loss behaviour of Ag⁺ ion-exchanged waveguides in glass (new results) and Nb diffused waveguides in LiTaO₃ (data reported by other authors).     

Thermal stresses in optical waveguides

Birefringence of optical waveguides is closely related to the anisotropy of thermal stresses in the core. Closed-form solutions for estimating the thermal stresses in the cladding layers and in the core of an embedded channel waveguide are presented. The solutions are verified by finite-element simulation. It is found that the thermal stress in the core in the direction perpendicular to the wafer cannot be ignored, and one can tune the core stress anisotropy in the plane normal to the light-propagation direction by varying the thermal-expansion mismatch between the upper cladding and the substrate.     

Leaky modes in optical waveguides

Solutions of the scalar wave equation are presented giving, explicitly, the excitation and subsequent attenuation of leaky modes in optical waveguides.     

Coupled magnetic resonator optical waveguides

Optical resonators are important devices that control the properties of light and manipulate light–matter interaction. Various optical resonators are designed and fabricated using different techniques. For example, in coupled resonator optical waveguides, light energy is transported to other resonators through near‐field coupling. In recent years, magnetic optical resonators based on LC resonance have been realized in several metallic microstructures. Such devices possess stronger local resonance and lower radiation loss compared with electric optical resonators. This study provides an overall introduction on the latest progress in coupled magnetic resonator optical waveguide (CMROW). Various waveguides composed of different magnetic resonators are presented and Lagrangian formalism is used to describe the CMROW. Moreover, several interesting properties of CMROWs, such as abnormal dispersions and slow‐light effects, are discussed and CMROW applications in nonlinear and quantum optics are shown. Future novel nanophotonic devices can be developed using CMROWs.     

Dispersion modified slot optical waveguides

Advent of slot waveguide structures had opened a new era where light can be confined in low index slot guarded by high index slabs. Already in use SOI slot waveguides (contrast ratio is 2.42) have two distinct properties over the conventional waveguides, i.e. high E-field amplitude, optical power, optical intensity in low index materials, and strong E-field confinement localized to nanometer-size low index regions. We hereby propose a low refractive index contrast ratio slot waveguide structure (ratio is 1.18) comprising of commercially available glass material. Novelty lies in showing high E-field amplitude, optical power, optical intensity, and strong E-field confinement in low index slot regions despite of lowest ever reported contrast ratio. A systematic numerical study on the higher order dispersion characteristics of the widely studied SOI-based slot structure and of our proposed low refractive index contrast slot structure is carried out. It has been demonstrated that low refractive index contrast ratio slot optical waveguide GVD properties are quite different than SOI slot optical waveguide. The less normal dispersion existing in this kind of waveguide could have an impact on their applications in various nonlinear or linear applications.     

Evanescent-wave bonding between optical waveguides

Forces arising from overlap between the guided waves of parallel, microphotonic waveguides are calculated. Both attractive and repulsive forces, determined by the choice of relative input phase, are found. Using realistic parameters for a silicon-on-insulator material system, we estimate that the forces are large enough to cause observable displacements. Our results illustrate the potential for a broader class of optically tunable microphotonic devices and microstructured artificial materials.     

非线性介质光波导中的传输功率和光学双稳态

本文对结构为非线性包层/线性芯层/非线性衬底的非线性介质光波导的传输特性进行了深入的分析,给出了模场分布函数,色散关系和传输功率的一组形式统一的公式,并对其传输功率的光学双稳态特性进行了讨论.     

Metal-clad graded-index planar optical waveguides: accurate perturbation analysis

We present a perturbation analysis of propagation constants and attenuation coefficients of TE and TM modes in a metal-clad linear index planar optical waveguide. The imaginary part N″ of the complex modal index N=N′ + iN″ is given by N″ = (∂N′ / ∂′), where =′ + i″ is the complex dielectric constant of the metal cladding and ∂N′ / ∂′ is obtained by numerical differentiation of the solution of the real eigenvalue equation. The cumbersome solution of a complex transcendental equation is thus completely eliminated. The results are in good agreement with those obtained by solving the eigenvalue equation in the complex plane. By taking the metal-clad linear planar waveguide as a preselected waveguide, we can use our RWKB method to solve metal-clad planar waveguides with parabolic, exponential, gaussian and complementary error function index profiles.     

TM mode optical characteristics of five-layer MOS optical waveguides

The field distribution and complex eigenvalue equation of the TM mode are solved from the wave equation for a five-layer optical waveguide with finite metal cladding and a dielectric buffer layer. For air–Au–SiO₂–GaAs–AlGaAs MOS waveguides, numerical results for the propagation constant and absorption loss of the TM mode are computed in the complex plane from the eigenvalue equation. The effects of some guided structural parameters on the mode propagation and absorption loss are analysed and discussed.     

Complete modal decomposition for optical waveguides

Virtually all electromagnetic waveguiding structures support a multiplicity of modes. Nevertheless, to date, an experimental method for unique decomposition of the fields in terms of the component eigenmodes has not been realized. The fundamental problem is that all current attempts of modal decomposition do not yield phase information. Here we introduce a noninterferometric approach to achieve modal decomposition of the fields at the output of a general waveguiding structure. The technique utilizes a mapping of the two-dimensional field distribution onto the one-dimensional space of waveguide eigenmodes, together with a phase-retrieval algorithm to extract the amplitudes and phases of all the guided vectorial modes. Experimental validation is provided by using this approach to examine the interactions of 16 modes in a hollow-core photonic-band gap fiber.     

Mach-Zehnder interferometer employing coupled-resonator optical waveguides

A simple theoretical model of a Mach-Zehnder interferometer (MZI) consisting of two coupled-resonator optical waveguides with different lengths is proposed and experimentally demonstrated at microwave frequencies. Good agreement between theoretical and experimental results is observed. MZIs in planar photonic crystals may become key building blocks in the development of microscale optical integrated devices such as filters, demultiplexers, switches, and modulators.