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US 6,473,218 B1Granted
Light modulation in whispering-gallery-mode resonators
AssigneeCalifornia Institute of Technology
InventorsLute Maleki, Anthony F. J. Levi, Steve Yao, Vladimir Ilchenko
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Abstract
Techniques and devices to modulate light by using a whispering gallery mode optical resonator exhibiting an electro-optic effect. An electrical signal is coupled into the optical resonator to change a dielectric constant of optical resonator and thus to modulate the optical output from the optical resonator.
Claims28
A method for modulating light, comprising:
- coupling an optical beam into a whispering gallery mode optical resonator to circulate in at least one whispering gallery mode supported by the resonator, wherein the optical resonator is made of an electro-optic material;
- coupling an electrical signal into the optical resonator. to circulate in the same optical path of the coupled optical beam so as to change a dielectric constant of the electro-optic material in the optical path of the optical beam within the optical resonator;
- and
- modulating the electrical signal to modulate an optical output coupled from the optical resonator.
1 more element
A device, comprising:
- an optical resonator to support whispering gallery modes and formed of an electro-optic material;
- an input optical coupler positioned to couple an input optical beam to circulate in said optical resonator in one whispering gallery mode;
- an output optical coupler positioned to couple optical energy in said optical resonator to produce an optical output;
- and
- an electrical coupler positioned to couple an electrical signal to co-propagate in an optical path of the circulating optical beam within said optical resonator to change a dielectric constant of said electro-optic material so as to modulate said optical output.
2 more elements
A method, comprising:
- coupling both an electrical signal and an optical signal into a whispering gallery mode of an optical resonator to co-propagate along the same signal path within the optical resonator which is formed of an electro-optic material;
- modulating the electrical signal to modulate an index of refraction experienced by the co-propagating optical signal to modulate the co-propagating optical signal.
A device, comprising:
- an optical resonator configured to support whispering gallery modes and formed of an electro-optic material;
- an input optical coupler positioned to evanescently couple an input optical beam into a whispering gallery mode of said optical resonator;
- an output optical coupler positioned to evanescently couple optical energy in said whispering gallery mode out said optical resonator to produce an optical output;
- and
- an electrical coupler positioned to couple a modulated electrical signal into said optical resonator to be in said whispering gallery mode to co-propagate with said optical energy within said optical resonator to change a dielectric constant of said electro-optic material so as to modulate said optical output.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.