Abstract

We investigate the thermal and Kerr nonlinearity in a system of two optically-coupled silica microtoroid resonators experimentally and theoretically. A model for two coupled oscillators describing nonlinear resonance curves is developed. Stability of the static solutions is analyzed. It is shown that thermal nonlinearity is responsible for driving the eigenfrequencies of the two resonators apart, making the normal modes of the system unstable as the pump power grows. The red-detuned normal mode becomes unstable for certain pumping powers.

© 2009 OSA

» View Full Text: Acrobat PDF (666 KB)

History
Original Manuscript: June 29, 2009
Manuscript Accepted: July 22, 2009
Revised Manuscript: July 22, 2009
Published: July 29, 2009

References

1. V. S. Ilchenko, M. L. Gorodetsky, and S. P. Vyatchanin, “Coupling and tunability of optical whispering-gallery modes: a basis for coordinate meter,” Opt. Commun. 107(1-2), 41–48 (1994). [CrossRef]
2. T. Mukaiyama, K. Takeda, H. Miyazaki, Y. Jimba, and M. Kuwata-Gonokami, “Tight-binding photonic molecule modes of resonant bispheres,” Phys. Rev. Lett. 82(23), 4623–4626 (1999). [CrossRef]
3. A. A. Savchenkov, V. S. Ilchenko, T. Handley, and L. Maleki, “Second-order filter response with series-coupled silica microresonators,” IEEE Photon. Technol. Lett. 15(4), 543–544 (2003). [CrossRef]
4. A. A. Savchenkov, V. S. Ilchenko, A. B. Matsko, and L. Maleki, “High-order tunable filters based on a chain of coupled crystalline whispering gallery-mode resonators,” IEEE Photon. Technol. Lett. 17(1), 136–138 (2005). [CrossRef]
5. D. D. Smith, H. Chang, K. A. Fuller, A. T. Rosenberger, and R. W. Boyd, “Coupled-resonator-induced transparency,” Phys. Rev. A 69(6), 063804 (2004). [CrossRef]
6. A. Naweed, G. Farca, S. I. Shopova, and A. T. Rosenberger, “Induced transparency and absorption in coupled whispering-gallery microresonators,” Phys. Rev. A 71(4), 043804 (2005). [CrossRef]
7. D. D. Smith and H. Chang, “Coherence phenomena in coupled optical resonators,” J. Mod. Opt. 51, 2503–2513 (2004).
8. B. Möller, U. Woggon, and M. V. Artemyev, “Photons in coupled microsphere resonators,” J. Opt. A 8, S113–S121 (2006).
9. A. V. Kanaev, V. N. Astratov, and W. Cai, “Optical coupling at a distance between detuned spherical cavities,” Appl. Phys. Lett. 88(11), 111111 (2006). [CrossRef]
10. A. Mazzei, S. Götzinger, Lde. S. Menezes, G. Zumofen, O. Benson, and V. Sandoghdar, “Controlled coupling of counterpropagating whispering-gallery modes by a single Rayleigh scatterer: a classical problem in a quantum optical light,” Phys. Rev. Lett. 99(17), 173603 (2007). [CrossRef]
11. M. Benyoucef, S. Kiravittaya, Y. F. Mei, A. Rastelli, and O. G. Schmidt, “Strongly coupled semiconductor microcavities: A route to couple artificial atoms over micrometric distances,” Phys. Rev. B 77(3), 035108 (2008). [CrossRef]
12. A. E. Fomin, M. L. Gorodetsky, I. S. Grudinin, and V. S. Ilchenko, “Nonstationary nonlinear effects in optical microspheres,” J. Opt. Soc. Am. B 22(2), 459–465 (2005). [CrossRef]
13. V. S. Il’chenko and M. L. Gorodetskii, “Thermal nonlinear effects in optical whispering gallery microresonators,” Laser Phys. 2, 1004–1009 (1992).
14. D. K. Armani, T. J. Kippenberg, S. M. Spillane, and K. J. Vahala, “Ultra-high-Q toroid microcavity on a chip,” Nature 421(6926), 925–928 (2003). [CrossRef]
15. V. B. Braginsky, M. L. Gorodetsky, and V. S. Ilchenko, “Quality-factor and nonlinear properties of optical whispering-gallery modes,” Phys. Lett. A 137(7-8), 393–397 (1989). [CrossRef]

Author Affiliations

Ivan S. Grudinin, Kerry J. Vahala

California Institute of Technology, 1200 E. California blvd, Pasadena, CA 91125, USA

Multimedia

Cited By

OSA is able to provide readers links to articles that cite this paper by participating in CrossRef's Cited-By Linking service. In addition to listing OSA journal articles that cite this paper, citing articles from other participating publishers will also be listed.

Advanced Search

Recent ToC Categories (Beta)

• Oct 08 2009 : See the latest ISP articles in the Applied Optics feature on Digital Holography in 3-D Imaging.
• Sep 25 2009 : Energy Express: Optics Express announces a special bi-monthly supplement dedicated to rapid developments in optics for sustainable energy.
• Sep 21 2009 : The 2009 Education and Training in Optics and Photonics papers are now available.

More News

• Invisibility Visualized
  Nov 12, 2009 - Scientists and curiosity seekers who want to know what a partially or... more
• Diamonds are a Laser's Best Friend
  Sep 18, 2009 - Tomorrow’s lasers may come with a bit of bling, thanks to a new... more
• Open Wide and Say ‘Zap’
  Aug 19, 2009 - A group of researchers in Australia and Taiwan has developed a new... more