Tunable single sideband modulators based on electro-optic optical whispering gallery mode resonators and their applications
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A whispering gallery mode optical resonator based photonic device, comprising:
- an optical resonator made of an electro-optic crystal and structured to support optical whispering gallery modes in two orthogonally polarized transverse electric (TE) modes and transverse magnetic (TM) modes circulating near a rim of the optical resonator;
an evanescent optical coupler located to couple input continuous wave (CW) light at an optical carrier frequency into the optical resonator and to couple light inside the optical resonator out to produce an output beam;
electrodes formed on the optical resonator to receive an RF or microwave signal to the optical resonator in an electric field polarization oriented relative to a crystal axis of the electro-optic crystal to effectuate coupling between an optical whispering gallery mode in the TE mode and another optical whispering gallery mode in the TM mode to produce an optical single sideband on light in the optical resonator at a frequency different from the optical carrier frequency; and
a frequency control mechanism coupled to the optical resonator to tune a frequency spacing between the optical single sideband and the optical carrier frequency.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Photonic devices and techniques based on tunable single sideband (SSB) modulation in whispering gallery mode resonators formed of electro-optic materials to effectuate coupling between whispering gallery modes of different polarizations.
-
Citations
17 Claims
-
1. A whispering gallery mode optical resonator based photonic device, comprising:
-
an optical resonator made of an electro-optic crystal and structured to support optical whispering gallery modes in two orthogonally polarized transverse electric (TE) modes and transverse magnetic (TM) modes circulating near a rim of the optical resonator; an evanescent optical coupler located to couple input continuous wave (CW) light at an optical carrier frequency into the optical resonator and to couple light inside the optical resonator out to produce an output beam; electrodes formed on the optical resonator to receive an RF or microwave signal to the optical resonator in an electric field polarization oriented relative to a crystal axis of the electro-optic crystal to effectuate coupling between an optical whispering gallery mode in the TE mode and another optical whispering gallery mode in the TM mode to produce an optical single sideband on light in the optical resonator at a frequency different from the optical carrier frequency; and a frequency control mechanism coupled to the optical resonator to tune a frequency spacing between the optical single sideband and the optical carrier frequency. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
-
-
8. A method for operating a whispering gallery mode optical resonator to produce a tunable signal modulation, comprising:
-
coupling input continuous wave (CW) light at an optical carrier frequency into an optical resonator made of an electro-optic crystal and structured to support optical whispering gallery modes in a first polarization mode and a second polarization mode orthogonal to the first polarization mode, both of which circulate near a rim of the optical resonator; coupling an RF or microwave signal to the optical resonator in an electric field polarization oriented relative to a crystal axis of the electro-optic crystal to effectuate coupling between an optical whispering gallery mode in the first polarization mode and another optical whispering gallery mode in the second polarization mode to produce an optical single sideband on light in the optical resonator at a frequency different from the optical carrier frequency; and applying an external control to the optical resonator to tune frequencies of the optical whispering gallery modes in both the first and second polarization modes to adjust a frequency spacing between the optical single sideband and the optical carrier frequency without being limited to a free spectral range of the optical resonator. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12)
-
-
13. A whispering gallery mode optical resonator based photonic device, comprising:
-
a single sideband modulator comprising an optical resonator made of an electro-optic crystal and structured to support optical whispering gallery modes in a first polarization mode and a second polarization mode orthogonal to the first polarization mode, both of which circulate near a rim of the optical resonator, and electrodes formed on the optical resonator to receive an RF or microwave signal to the optical resonator in an electric field polarization oriented relative to a crystal axis of the electro-optic crystal to effectuate coupling between an optical whispering gallery mode in the first polarization mode and another optical whispering gallery mode in the second polarization mode to produce an optical single sideband by modulation of continuous wave light at an optical carrier frequency at a sideband frequency different from the optical carrier frequency; and a frequency control mechanism coupled to the optical resonator to tune a frequency spacing between the optical single sideband and the optical carrier frequency. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17)
-
Specification