Optical waveguide coupler for whispering-gallery-mode resonators

• US 7,356,214 B2
• Filed: 03/22/2005
• Issued: 04/08/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 03/22/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Oewaves Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Oewaves Incorporated
• Inventors: Ilchenko, Vladimir
• Primary Examiner(s): Pak; Sung
• Assistant Examiner(s): TRAN, HOANG Q
• Application Number:
  US11/087,382
• Publication Number:
  US 20050220411A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,113 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 385/15
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/12007 forming wavelength selective elements, e.g. multiplexer, demultiplexer
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/011 in optical waveguides, not otherwise provided for in this subclass
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/035 in an optical waveguide structure
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 2203/15 involving resonance effects, e.g. resonantly enhanced interaction

Abstract

This application describes whispering gallery modes resonators made of electro-optic materials that are optically coupled to one or two waveguide couplers.

Claims

1. A device, comprising:

an optical resonator formed of an electro-optic material and shaped to support a whispering gallery mode circulating in a plane that is perpendicular to a crystal axis of the electro-optic material; and

a waveguide formed of the electro-optic material having a crystal axis perpendicular to a longitudinal direction of the waveguide and parallel to the crystal axis of the optical resonator, the waveguide located close to the resonator to evanescently couple with the optical resonator.

2. A device as in claim 1, wherein the optical resonator is a lithium niobate micro resonator.

3. A device as in claim 1, wherein the optical resonator comprises at least a portion of a spheroid.

4. A device as in claim 1, wherein the optical resonator comprises at least a portion of a sphere.

5. A device as in claim 1, wherein the optical resonator is a disk.

6. A device as in claim 1, wherein the optical resonator is a ring.

7. A device as in claim 1, further comprising a fiber coupled to an end facet of the waveguide.

8. A device, comprising:

an optical resonator formed of an electro-optic material and shaped to support a whispering gallery mode circulating in a plane that is perpendicular to a crystal axis of the electro-optic material; and

a waveguide formed of the electro-optic material having a crystal axis perpendicular to a longitudinal direction of the waveguide and perpendicular to the crystal axis of the optical resonator, the waveguide having an angled facet at a first end which is located close to the resonator to evanescently couple with the optical resonator.

9. A device as in claim 8, wherein the optical resonator is a lithium niobate micro resonator.

10. A device as in claim 8, wherein the optical resonator comprises at least a portion of a spheroid.

11. A device as in claim 8, wherein the optical resonator comprises at least a portion of a sphere.

12. A device as in claim 8, wherein the optical resonator is a disk.

13. A device as in claim 8, wherein the optical resonator is a ring.

14. A device as in claim 8, wherein the waveguide comprises an end facet at a second end opposite to the first end of the waveguide, the device further comprising a fiber coupled to an end facet at the second end.

15. A device as in claim 14, wherein the waveguide couple input light into the resonator, the device further comprising:

a second waveguide formed of the electro-optic material having a crystal axis perpendicular to a longitudinal direction of the second waveguide and perpendicular to the crystal axis of the optical resonator, the second waveguide having an angled facet which is located close to the resonator to evanescently couple with the optical resonator to couple light out of the resonator.

16. A method, comprising:

providing an optical resonator formed of an electro-optic material with a crystal axis perpendicular to a plane in which a whispering gallery mode of the optical resonator circulates; and

using a waveguide, which is also formed of the electro-optic material, to effectuate a refractive index of guided light to be equal to or greater than a refractive index for the whispering gallery mode in the optical resonator to provide coupling between the optical resonator and the waveguide.

17. A method as in claim 16, further comprising:

making a crystal axis of the waveguide to be parallel to the crystal axis of the optical resonator to match refractive indices of the optical resonator and the waveguide for light coupled therebetween.

18. A method as in claim 16, wherein a crystal axis of the waveguide is perpendicular to the crystal axis of the optical resonator to make the refractive index of the waveguide greater than the refractive index of the optical resonator, the method further comprising:

using an angled facet on the waveguide to couple light polarized along the crystal axis of the optical resonator.

19. A method as in claim 16, further comprising:

coupling an end facet of a fiber to an end facet of the waveguide to direct input light from the fiber into the waveguide.