Direct electrical-to-optical conversion and light modulation in micro whispering-gallery-mode resonators

A wireless communication system, comprising a plurality of wireless transceivers, at least one transceiver including:

• an antenna to receive an electromagnetic wave signal at an electrical frequency;
• a light source to produce light at a selected optical frequency;
• an optical resonator designed to support whispering gallery modes and formed of a dielectric material that has an energy level structure that absorbs light at said selected optical frequency and absorbs electrical energy at said electrical frequency, wherein absorption of said electrical energy changes absorption of said light;
• an optical coupler positioned adjacent to said optical resonator to evanescently couple optical energy into said optical resonator in a whispering gallery mode or out of said optical resonator;
• and
• an electrical coupler coupled to receive said electromagnetic wave signal from said antenna and positioned to couple said electromagnetic wave signal into said optical resonator to at least partially overlap with said whispering gallery mode to modulate optical energy in said optical resonator by modulating said absorption.

A communication system, comprising:

• an electronic communication system operable to transfer information on electrical signals;
• an optical communication system operable to transfer information on optical signals;
• and
• an interface between said electronic communication system and said optical communication system, said interface comprising:
• a light source to produce light at a selected optical frequency,
• an optical resonator designed to support whispering gallery modes and formed of a dielectric material that has an energy level structure that absorbs light at said selected optical frequency and absorbs electrical energy at an electrical frequency supported by said electronic communication system, wherein absorption of said electrical energy changes absorption of said light,
• an optical coupler positioned adjacent to said optical resonator to evanescently couple optical energy into said optical resonator in a whispering gallery mode or out of said optical resonator, and
• an electrical coupler coupled to receive an electrical signal from said electronic communication system and positioned to couple said electrical signal into said optical resonator to at least partially overlap with said whispering gallery mode to modulate optical energy in said optical resonator by modulating said absorption,
• wherein said optical coupler further couples modulated optical energy out of said optical resonator into said optical communication system.

A system, comprising a device which comprises:

• an optical resonator designed to support whispering gallery modes and formed of a dielectric material that has an energy level structure which comprises first, second, and third different energy levels to allow for (1) at least one optical transition between the first and said second energy levels at a selected optical frequency, (2) an electronic transition between said second and said third energy levels in resonance with a different frequency, and (3) absorption at said electronic transition changes absorption at said optical transition;
• an optical coupler positioned adjacent to said optical resonator to evanescently couple light in resonance with said optical transition into said optical resonator in a whispering gallery mode or out of said optical resonator;
• and
• an electrical coupler positioned to couple an electrical signal in resonance with said electronic transition into said optical resonator to at least partially overlap with said whispering gallery mode to modulate optical energy in said optical resonator by modulating absorption of said electrical signal at said electronic transition.