Open AccessAll-optical signal processing at ultra-low powers in bottle microresonators using the Kerr effect
Author(s) -
Michael Pöllinger,
Arno Rauschenbeutel
Publication year - 2010
Publication title -
optics express
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.394
H-Index - 271
ISSN - 1094-4087
DOI - 10.1364/oe.18.017764
Subject(s) - optics , kerr effect , mode volume , whispering gallery wave , bistability , bottle , materials science , drop (telecommunication) , photonics , optical power , optical fiber , optoelectronics , single mode optical fiber , signal (programming language) , physics , polarization maintaining optical fiber , resonator , fiber optic sensor , nonlinear system , laser , telecommunications , quantum mechanics , computer science , composite material , programming language
We present experimental results on nonlinear, ultra-low power photonics applications based on a silica whispering-gallery-mode microresonator. Our bottle microresonator combines an ultrahigh quality factor of Q > 10(8) with a small mode volume V. The resulting Q(2)/V-ratio is among the highest realized for optical microresonators and allows us to observe bistable behavior at very low powers. We report single-wavelength all-optical switching via the Kerr effect at a record-low threshold of 50 microW. Moreover, an advantageous mode geometry enables the coupling of two tapered fiber waveguides to a bottle mode in an add-drop configuration. This allows us to route a CW optical signal between both fiber outputs with high efficiency by varying its power level. Finally, we demonstrate that the same set-up can also be operated as an optical memory.