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AssigneeNpl Management Limited
InventorsLeonardo Del Bino, Sarah Louise Stebbings, Pascal Patrice Del'Haye, Jonathan Michael Silver
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An optical resonator system comprises an optical resonator (30) and means (32, 42, 44) for coupling into the resonator counterpropagating waves at total intensities such as to produce a non-linear interaction between the first and second waves whereby to break the symmetry to establish different resonant frequencies between the first and second counterpropagating waves whereby to produce different optical effects in the opposite directions. A common light source, e.g. a laser 32, is employed with an amplifier 40 and a modulator 50, or different light sources can be employed.
An optical signal handling system comprising an optical loop resonator made of material with a non-reciprocal optical non-linearity such that the presence of counterpropagating light induces a stronger resonance frequency change than copropagating light of the same intensity, at least one light source coupled to a first arm for introducing a first optical wave into the resonator and to a second arm for introducing into the resonator a counterpropagating second optical wave having the same frequency as the first wave, said first and second waves having total intensities such as to produce a non-linear interaction between the first and second waves, wherein one of the arms comprises an attenuator or an amplifier whereby to establish different resonant frequencies for the two different directions of light propagation.
A method of producing different optical effects in opposite directions in an optical loop resonator made of material with a non-reciprocal optical non-linearity such that the presence of counterpropagating light induces a stronger resonance frequency change than copropagating light of the same intensity, comprising introducing first and second optical waves via first and second respective arms into the resonator from at least one light source in opposite directions and with the same frequency and at total intensities such as to produce a non-linear interaction between the first and second waves whereby to establish different resonant frequencies for the two different directions of light propagation.
A method of adjusting the relative power between waves counterpropagating in a static optical resonator made of material with a non-reciprocal optical non-linearity and comprising first and second arms, the method comprising coupling identical waves into said first and second arms of the resonator in opposite directions and with such a total intensity that a non-linear interaction occurs between the waves, wherein the resonator is subjected to an external effect which has a differing effect on the two waves and the difference is detected.
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