Direct electrical-to-optical conversion and light modulation in micro whispering-gallery-mode resonators
First Claim
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1. A device, comprising:
- an optical resonator designed to support whispering gallery modes and formed of a dielectric material that has an energy level structure that absorbs light at a selected optical frequency and absorbs electrical energy at an electrical frequency, wherein absorption of said electrical energy changes absorption of said light;
an optical coupler positioned adjacent to said optical resonator to evanescently couple optical energy into said optical resonator in a whispering gallery mode or out of said optical resonator; and
an electrical coupler positioned to couple an electrical signal at said electrical frequency into said optical resonator to at least partially overlap with said whispering gallery mode to modulate optical energy in said optical resonator by modulating said absorption.
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Abstract
Techniques for directly converting an electrical signal into an optical signal by using a whispering gallery mode optical resonator formed of a dielectric material that allows for direct modulation of optical absorption by the electrical signal.
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Citations
53 Claims
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1. A device, comprising:
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an optical resonator designed to support whispering gallery modes and formed of a dielectric material that has an energy level structure that absorbs light at a selected optical frequency and absorbs electrical energy at an electrical frequency, wherein absorption of said electrical energy changes absorption of said light;
an optical coupler positioned adjacent to said optical resonator to evanescently couple optical energy into said optical resonator in a whispering gallery mode or out of said optical resonator; and
an electrical coupler positioned to couple an electrical signal at said electrical frequency into said optical resonator to at least partially overlap with said whispering gallery mode to modulate optical energy in said optical resonator by modulating said absorption. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36)
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- 29. The device as in claim 29, further comprising an optical detector coupled to convert said optical output into an electronic signal.
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37. A wireless communication system, comprising a plurality of wireless transceivers, at least one transceiver including:
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an antenna to receive an electromagnetic wave signal at an electrical frequency;
a light source to produce light at a selected optical frequency;
an optical resonator designed to support whispering gallery modes and formed of a dielectric material that has an energy level structure that absorbs light at said selected optical frequency and absorbs electrical energy at said electrical frequency, wherein absorption of said electrical energy changes absorption of said light;
an optical coupler positioned adjacent to said optical resonator to evanescently couple optical energy into said optical resonator in a whispering gallery mode or out of said optical resonator; and
an electrical coupler coupled to receive said electromagnetic wave signal from said antenna and positioned to couple said electromagnetic wave signal into said optical resonator to at least partially overlap with said whispering gallery mode to modulate optical energy in said optical resonator by modulating said absorption.
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- 38. The system as in claim 38, further comprising a satellite on which said one transceiver is located.
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41. A communication system, comprising:
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an electronic communication system operable to transfer information on electrical signals;
an optical communication system operable to transfer information on optical signals; and
an interface between said electronic communication system and said optical communication system, said interface comprising;
a light source to produce light at a selected optical frequency, an optical resonator designed to support whispering gallery modes and formed of a dielectric material that has an energy level structure that absorbs light at said selected optical frequency and absorbs electrical energy at an electrical frequency supported by said electronic communication system, wherein absorption of said electrical energy changes absorption of said light, an optical coupler positioned adjacent to said optical resonator to evanescently couple optical energy into said optical resonator in a whispering gallery mode or out of said optical resonator, and an electrical coupler coupled to receive an electrical signal from said electronic communication system and positioned to couple said electrical signal into said optical resonator to at least partially overlap with said whispering gallery mode to modulate optical energy in said optical resonator by modulating said absorption, wherein said optical coupler further couples modulated optical energy out of said optical resonator into said optical communication system.
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- 42. The system as in claim 42, wherein said optical communication system includes a free space system.
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46. A system, comprising a device which comprises:
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an optical resonator designed to support whispering gallery modes and formed of a dielectric material that has an energy level structure which comprises first, second, and third different energy levels to allow for (1) at least one optical transition between the first and said second energy levels at a selected optical frequency, (2) an electronic transition between said second and said third energy levels in resonance with a different frequency, and (3) absorption at said electronic transition changes absorption at said optical transition;
an optical coupler positioned adjacent to said optical resonator to evanescently couple light in resonance with said optical transition into said optical resonator in a whispering gallery mode or out of said optical resonator; and
an electrical coupler positioned to couple an electrical signal in resonance with said electronic transition into said optical resonator to at least partially overlap with said whispering gallery mode to modulate optical energy in said optical resonator by modulating absorption of said electrical signal at said electronic transition.
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- 47. The system as in claim 47, further comprising an antenna to receive a radiation wave that comprises said electrical signal in resonance with said electronic transition and connected to said electrical coupler to couple said electrical signal to said electrical coupler.
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50. The system as in claim 50, wherein said second and said third energy levels are two different hyperfine energy splitting levels of a common energy level.
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51. The system as in claim 51, further comprising a tuning mechanism to adjust an energy difference between said second and said third energy levels.
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52. The system as in claim 52, wherein said tuning mechanism comprises a mechanism operable to produce a tunable magnetic field at said optical resonator.
Specification