Coupling system to a microsphere cavity
AssigneeCalifornia Institute of Technology
InventorsVladimir Iltchenko, Lute Maleki, Steve Yao, Chi Wu
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A system of coupling optical energy in a waveguide mode, into a resonator that operates in a whispering gallery mode. A first part of the operation uses a fiber in its waveguide mode to couple information into a resonator e.g. a microsphere. The fiber is cleaved at an angle Φ which causes total internal reflection within the fiber. The energy in the fiber then forms an evanescent field and a microsphere is placed in the area of the evanescent field. If the microsphere resonance is resonant with energy in the fiber, then the information in the fiber is effectively transferred to the microsphere.
Claims26
A method of coupling between a waveguide mode and a whispering gallery mode, comprising:
- forming a portion of a waveguide element, which operates in a waveguide mode, said portion having a part that induces total internal reflection which causes an evanescent field to be formed in an area of said waveguide and such that radiation in said waveguide mode forms said evanescent field at said area;
- and
- placing a resonator, which operates in a whispering gallery mode, in said area of said evanescent field.
A method of coupling between a waveguide mode and a whispering gallery mode, comprising:
- forming a portion of a waveguide element which is a single mode fiber, which operates in a waveguide mode, said portion which causes an evanescent field to be formed in an area of said waveguide and such that radiation in said waveguide mode forms said evanescent field at said area;
- and
- placing a resonator, which operates in a whispering gallery mode, in said area of said evanescent field.
A method of coupling information to a resonator, comprising:
- forming a surface grating on the resonator;
- and
- phase matching optical energy to said surface grating to induce said optical energy to enter said resonator.
A method of coupling light from an optical fiber into a whispering gallery type resonator, comprising:
- transmitting light through a core of the optical fiber;
- forming a cleave on the optical fiber at a specified angle which causes total internal reflection and which forms an evanescent field outside the fiber;
- and
- locating said resonator in the location of said evanescent field to come into contact with the evanescent field.
A method of coupling energy, comprising:
- coupling light in a waveguide mode to an ending part that causes said light to produce an evanescent field;
- and
- locating a device which has a resonant whispering gallery mode, in the location of said evanescent field to come in contact with the evanescent field and to induce energy in said whispering gallery node based on said evanescent field.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.