Optical devices based on connected and optically coupled optical whispering-gallery-mode resonators formed on a rod

• US 8,311,376 B1
• Filed: 01/24/2012
• Issued: 11/13/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 05/15/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Oewaves Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Oewaves Incorporated
• Inventors: Maleki, Lute, Matsko, Andrey B., Savchenkov, Anatoliy A., Ilchenko, Vladimir S., Seidel, David
• Primary Examiner(s): Alsomiri, Isam
• Assistant Examiner(s): Diacou, Ari M
• Application Number:
  US13/357,086
• Time in Patent Office: 294 Days
• Field of Search: 359/333, 359/346, 372/92, 372/94, 372/108, 385/2, 385/28, 385/30
• US Class Current: 385/28
• 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

Devices having whispering-gallery-mode (WGM) resonators configured to meet requirements of various applications and facilitate fabrication of such devices.

Claims

1. An optical device, comprising:

a cylindrical rod of an optical material structured to comprise a plurality of optical waveguide loops, which are formed on or near an exterior surface of the cylindrical rod and each surround a longitudinal axis of the cylindrical rod, to form a plurality of optical whispering gallery mode ring resonators in each of which a whispering gallery mode circulates around a respective optical waveguide loop, two adjacent optical waveguide loops of the plurality of optical waveguide loops being separated from each other with a spacing to allow optical coupling between the two adjacent optical waveguide loops.

2. The device as in claim 1, wherein the optical material of the cylindrical rod is an electro-optic material exhibiting an opto-electro effect to allow an optical refractive index of the electro-optic material to be altered in a region where an electrical control signal is applied to, and

wherein the device comprises electrodes on the cylindrical rod to apply the electrical control signal to produce a change in the optical refractive index that causes formation of one or more optical waveguide loops and controls the optical refractive index of each optical waveguide loop formed based on the opto-electric effect.

3. The device as in claim 1, wherein each of the optical waveguide loops has an optical refractive index different from an optical refractive index of a region immediately outside and in contact with each respective optical waveguide loop.

4. The device as in claim 3, wherein the cylindrical rod is formed of a photosensitive material.

5. The device as in claim 4, wherein the photosensitive material is a UV sensitive material that changes a refractive index when exposed to UV light.

6. The device as in claim 4, wherein the photosensitive material is a Ge doped glass.

7. The device as in claim 1, wherein the optical waveguide loops are protruded belt regions on the exterior surface of the cylindrical rod.

8. The device as in claim 7, wherein two of the protruded belt regions have different heights above the exterior surface of the cylindrical rod.

9. The device as in claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of optical waveguide loops is structured to support a single optical whispering gallery mode.

10. The device as in claim 1, comprising an optical coupler evanescently coupled to the optical whispering gallery mode ring resonators.

11. The device as in claim 10, wherein the optical coupler includes an optical waveguide.

12. The device as in claim 10, wherein the optical coupler includes an optical prism.

13. The device as in claim 10, wherein the optical coupler includes an optical photonic bandgap material.

14. The device as in claim 1, wherein the optical material of the cylindrical rod is a glass material.

15. An optical device, comprising:

a cylindrical rod of an optical material structured to comprise a helix of an optical waveguide winding around the cylindrical rod regions in form of a plurality of connected optical waveguide loops forming the helix, each optical waveguide loop supporting at least one optical whispering gallery mode and being close to an adjacent optical waveguide loop located at a different position along the cylindrical rod to be optically coupled with the adjacent optical waveguide loop via spatial overlapping of optical fields extended outside the optical waveguide loop and the adjacent optical waveguide loop.

16. The device as in claim 15, wherein the helix of the optical waveguide on the cylindrical rod is a protrusion belt winding around an exterior surface of the cylindrical rod.

17. The device as in claim 15, wherein the helix of the optical waveguide on the cylindrical rod has an optical refractive index different from an optical refractive index of a region immediately outside and in contact with the optical waveguide.

18. The device as in claim 17, wherein the cylindrical rod is formed of a photosensitive material.

19. The device as in claim 18, wherein the photosensitive material is a UV sensitive material that changes a refractive index when exposed to UV light.

20. The device as in claim 18, wherein the photosensitive material is a Ge doped glass.

21. The device as in claim 15, wherein the optical material of the cylindrical rod is a glass material.

22. A method for processing light via optically coupled resonators, comprising:

providing a cylindrical rod of an optical material structured to comprise a plurality of optical waveguide loops, which are formed on or near an exterior surface of the cylindrical rod and each surround a longitudinal axis of the cylindrical rod, to form a plurality of optical whispering gallery mode ring resonators in each of which a whispering gallery mode circulates around a respective optical waveguide loop;

structuring the optical waveguide loops to separate two adjacent optical waveguide loops of the plurality of optical waveguide loops from each other with a spacing to allow optical coupling between the two adjacent optical waveguide loops; and

coupling light into the optical waveguide loops to process the light through the optically coupled optical waveguide loops.

23. A method for processing light, comprising:

providing a cylindrical rod of an optical material structured to comprise a helix of an optical waveguide winding around the cylindrical rod regions in form of a plurality of connected optical waveguide loops forming the helix, each optical waveguide loop supporting at least one optical whispering gallery mode;

structuring the helix and the connected optical waveguide loops so that one connected optical waveguide loop is close to an adjacent connected optical waveguide loop located at a different position along the cylindrical rod to be optically coupled with each other via spatial overlapping of optical fields extended outside the optical waveguide loop and the adjacent optical waveguide loop; and

coupling light into the helix to process the light through the connected and optically coupled optical waveguide loops.