Film spacer for setting the gap between an optical coupler and a whispering-gallery mode optical resonator

• US 6,879,752 B1
• Filed: 04/03/2002
• Issued: 04/12/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 04/03/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Oewaves Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Oewaves Incorporated
• Inventors: Ilchenko, Vladimir, Kossakovski, Dmitri
• Primary Examiner(s): Stcyr, Daniel
• Assistant Examiner(s): Caputo, Lisa M.
• Application Number:
  US10/116,643
• Time in Patent Office: 1,105 Days
• Field of Search: 385/30, 385/36, 385/43
• US Class Current: 385/30
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/12007 forming wavelength selective elements, e.g. multiplexer, demultiplexer
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/122 Basic optical elements, e.g. light-guiding paths
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/29341 Loop resonators operating in a whispering gallery mode evanescently coupled to a light guide, e.g. sphere or disk or cylinder evanescent coupling for sensing fluorescence G01N21/648

Abstract

This application teaches systems and techniques that use an optical coupler and a film for evanescently coupling light to or from an optical or electro-optical device. The film is connected to the coupler surface as a spacer for setting the distance between the optical coupler and the optical or electro-optical device.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

an optical coupler having a coupler surface for evanescent coupling of light to or from an optical or electro-optical device; and

a film connected to the coupler surface and configured to provide for total internal reflection of the light at an interface between the coupler surface and the film.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein the optical coupler is an optical fiber coupler.

3. The system according to claim 1, wherein the optical coupler is a prism coupler.

4. The system according to claim 1, wherein the optical coupler is a tapered fiber coupler.

5. The system according to claim 1, further comprising:

an optical whispering gallery mode resonator in contact with the film to be optically coupled with the optical coupler via the film.

6. A system comprising:

an optical coupler having a coupler surface for evanescent coupling of light to or from an optical or electro-optical device; and

a film connected to the coupler surface, wherein the film is selected from the group consisting of M_gF₂, TEFLON, and NAVITAR FIBERCOAT QLI.

7. The system according to claim 6, further comprising:

an optical whispering gallery mode resonator in contact with the film to be optically coupled with the optical coupler via the film.

8. The system according to claim 7, wherein the optical coupler is an optical fiber coupler.

9. The system according to claim 7, wherein the optical coupler is a prism coupler.

10. The system according to claim 7, wherein the optical coupler is a tapered fiber coupler.

11. A system comprising:

an optical coupler having a coupler surface for evanescent coupling of light to or from an optical or electro-optical device; and

a film connected to the coupler surface, wherein light propagates through the optical coupler and the thickness of the film ranges in value from about 0.1 to about 3 times the wavelength of the light.

12. The system according to claim 11, further comprising:

an optical whispering gallery mode resonator in contact with the film to be optically coupled with the optical coupler via the film.

13. The system according to claim 12, wherein the optical coupler is an optical fiber coupler.

14. The system according to claim 12, wherein the optical coupler is a prism coupler.

15. The system according to claim 12, wherein the optical coupler is a tapered fiber coupler.

16. A system comprising:

an optical coupler having a coupler surface for evanescent coupling of light to or from an optical or electro-optical device; and

a film connected to the coupler surface, wherein the film is deposited on the coupler surface by vapor deposition or liquid deposition with subsequent polymerization of the film.

17. The system according to claim 16, further comprising:

an optical whispering gallery mode resonator in contact with the film to be optically coupled with the optical coupler via the film.

18. The system according to claim 17, wherein the optical coupler is an optical fiber coupler.

19. The system according to claim 17, wherein the optical coupler is a prism coupler.

20. The system according to claim 17, wherein the optical coupler is a tapered fiber coupler.

21. A system comprising:

an optical coupler having a coupler surface;

a film connected to the coupler surface; and

an optical resonator optically coupled to the film, wherein the film provides for total internal reflection of the light at an interface between the coupler surface and the film.

22. The system according to claim 21, wherein the film contacts the optical resonator.

23. The system according to claim 21, wherein the optical coupler is an optical fiber coupler.

24. The system according to claim 21, wherein the optical coupler is a prism coupler.

25. The system according to claim 21, wherein the optical coupler is a tapered fiber coupler.

26. The system according to claim 21, wherein the film is deposited on the coupler surface.

27. The system according to claim 21, wherein the optical resonator is cylindrical.

28. The system according to claim 21, wherein the optical resonator is spherical.

29. The system according to claim 28, wherein the optical resonator has a Q greater than 1×

10⁷.

30. The system according to claim 21, wherein the optical resonator is toroidal.

31. The system according to claim 30, wherein the optical resonator has a Q greater than 1×

10⁷.

32. The system according to claim 21, wherein the optical resonator is made from fused silica.

33. The system according to claim 21, wherein the optical resonator is a whispering-gallery mode resonator that is in contact with the film.

34. A system comprising:

an optical coupler having a coupler surface;

a film connected to the coupler surface; and

an optical resonator optically coupled to the film, wherein the film is selected from the group consisting of M_gF₂, TEFLON, and NAVITAR FIBERCOAT QLI.

35. The system according to claim 34, wherein the optical resonator is an optical whispering gallery mode resonator that is in contact with the film.

36. The system according to claim 35, wherein the optical coupler is an optical fiber coupler.

37. The system according to claim 35, wherein the optical coupler is a prism coupler.

38. The system according to claim 35, wherein the optical coupler is a tapered fiber coupler.

39. A system comprising:

an optical coupler having a coupler surface;

a film connected to the coupler surface; and

an optical resonator optically coupled to the film, wherein light propagates through the optical coupler and the thickness of the film ranges in value from about 0.1 to about 3 times the wavelength of the light.

40. The system according to claim 39, wherein the wavelength of the light is approximately 1.5 micrometers and the thickness of the film ranges in value from approximately 0.5 micrometers to less than 2.0 micrometers.

41. The system according to claim 39, wherein the optical resonator is an optical whispering gallery mode resonator that is in contact with the film.

42. The system according to claim 41, wherein the optical coupler is an optical fiber coupler.

43. The system according to claim 41, wherein the optical coupler is a prism coupler.

44. The system according to claim 41, wherein the optical coupler is a tapered fiber coupler.

45. A system comprising:

an optical coupler having a coupler surface;

a film deposited on the coupler surface; and

an optical resonator optically coupled to the film, wherein the film is deposited on the coupler surface by vapor deposition or liquid deposition with subsequent polymerization of the film.

46. The system according to claim 45, wherein the optical resonator is an optical whispering gallery mode resonator that is in contact with the film.

47. The system according to claim 46, wherein the optical coupler is an optical fiber coupler.

48. The system according to claim 46, wherein the optical coupler is a prime coupler.

49. The system according to claim 46, wherein the optical coupler is a tapered fiber coupler.

50. A method of coupling light, the method comprising:

propagating light through an optical coupler having a coupler surface; and

evanescently coupling light through a film connected to and in contact with the coupler surface and into an optical or electro-optical device in contact with the film, wherein the thickness of the film ranges in value from about 0.1 to about 3 times the wavelength of the light.

51. The method according to claim 50, wherein the film is selected from the group consisting of MgF2, TEFLON, and NAVITAR FIBERCOAT QLI.

52. The method according to claim 50, wherein the optical or electro-optical device is an optical resonator.

53. The method according to claim 52, wherein the optical resonator is a whispering-gallery mode resonator.

54. The method according to claim 50, wherein the film is deposited on the coupler surface by vapor deposition or liquid deposition with subsequent polymerization of the film.

55. A system, comprising:

an optical whispering gallery mode resonator;

a film spacer having a first surface in contact with the resonator and a second surface, the film spacer having a thickness between the first and the second surface to allow an evanescent field of the resonator to be present at the second surface; and

an optical coupler in contact with the second surface of the film spacer and optically evanescently coupled to the resonator,

wherein the film spacer has a refractive index less than a refractive index of the resonator and is configured to provide for total internal reflection of the light at an interface between the optical coupler and the film spacer.

56. A system as in claim 55, wherein the film spacer is a film deposited on the optical coupler by vapor deposition or liquid deposition with subsequent polymerization of the film.

57. A system as in claim 55, wherein the thickness of the film spacer ranges in value from about 0.1 to about 3 times the wavelength of light coupled between the resonator and the optical coupler.

58. A system as in claim 55, wherein the film spacer has a material selected from a group consisting of MgF₂, TEFLON, and NAVITAR FIBERCOAT QLI.

59. A system as in claim 55, wherein the optical coupler is an optical fiber coupler.

60. A system as in claim 55, wherein the optical coupler is a prism coupler.

61. A system as in claim 55, wherein the optical coupler is a tapered fiber coupler which has a tapered section in contact with the second surface of the film spacer.

62. A system as in claim 55, wherein the optical resonator is cylindrical.

63. A system as in claim 55, wherein the optical resonator is spherical.

64. A system as in claim 55, wherein the optical resonator is toroidal.