Directional Emission, Increased Free Spectral Range, and Mode $Q$ -Factors in 2-D Wavelength-Scale Optical Microcavity Structures
01 Nov 2006-IEEE Journal of Selected Topics in Quantum Electronics (Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE))-Vol. 12, Iss: 6, pp 1175-1182
TL;DR: In this paper, basic design rules to tune the spectral and emission characteristics of microscale optical cavity structures with nanoscale features by tailoring their geometry are formulated and discussed, and the validity and usefulness of these rules are demonstrated by reviewing a number of previously studied cavity shapes with global and local deformations.
Abstract: Achieving single-mode operation and highly directional (preferably unidirectional) in-plane light output from whispering-gallery (WG)-mode semiconductor microdisk resonators without seriously degrading the mode Q-factor challenges designers of low-threshold microlasers. To address this problem, basic design rules to tune the spectral and emission characteristics of microscale optical cavity structures with nanoscale features by tailoring their geometry are formulated and discussed in this paper. The validity and usefulness of these rules is demonstrated by reviewing a number of previously studied cavity shapes with global and local deformations. The rules provide leads to novel improved WG-mode cavity designs, two of which are presented: a cross-shaped photonic molecule with introduced asymmetry and a photonic-crystal-assisted microdisk resonator. Both these designs yield degenerate-mode splitting, as well as Q-factor enhancement and directional light output of one of the split modes
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TL;DR: Control of light at the nanoscale is demanding for future successful on-chip integration and most optical nanoantennas consist of plasmonic nanoparticles due to their ability to capture and concentrate visible light at subwavelength dimensions.
Abstract: We study in detail a novel type of optical nanoantennas made of high-permittivity low-loss dielectric particles. In addition to the electric resonances, the dielectric particles exhibit very strong magnetic resonances at the nanoscale, that can be employed in the Yagi-Uda geometry for creating highly efficient optical nanoantennas. By comparing plasmonic and dielectric nanoantennas, we demonstrate that all-dielectric nanoantennas may exhibit better radiation efficiency also allowing more compact design.
505 citations
TL;DR: The novel concept of superdirective nanoantennas based on the excitation of higher-order magnetic multipole moments in subwavelength dielectric nanoparticles are introduced, and it is revealed that the nanoantenna's high directivity is not associated with strong localization of near fields in the regime of reception.
Abstract: We introduce the novel concept of superdirective nanoantennas based on the excitation of higher-order magnetic multipole moments in subwavelength dielectric nanoparticles. Our superdirective nanoantenna is a small Si nanosphere containing a notch, and is excited by a dipole located within the notch. In addition to extraordinary directivity, this nanoantenna demonstrates efficient radiation steering at the nanoscale, resulting from the subwavelength sensitivity of the beam radiation direction to variation of the source position inside the notch. We compare our dielectric nanoantenna with a plasmonic nanoantenna of similar geometry, and reveal that the nanoantenna's high directivity in the regime of transmission is not associated with strong localization of near fields in the regime of reception. Likewise, the absence of hot spots inside the nanoantenna leads to low dissipation in the radiation regime, so that our dielectric nanoantenna has significantly smaller losses and high radiation efficiency of up to 70%.
177 citations
TL;DR: The mode coupling can be used to realize high efficiency directional-emission microdisk lasers and the equilateral-polygonal shaped mode patterns can be constructed by mode coupling in the microdisk.
Abstract: Mode coupling between the whispering-gallery modes (WGMs) is numerically investigated for a two-dimensional microdisk resonator with an output waveguide. The equilateral-polygonal shaped mode patterns can be constructed by mode coupling in the microdisk, and the coupled modes can still keep high quality factors (Q factors). For a microdisk with a diameter of 4.5 microm and a refractive index of 3.2 connected to a 0.6-microm-wide output waveguide, the coupled mode at the wavelength of 1490 nm has a Q factor in the order of 10(4), which is ten times larger than those of the uncoupled WGMs, and the output efficiency defined as the ratio of the energy flux confined in the output waveguide to the total radiation energy flux is about 0.65. The mode coupling can be used to realize high efficiency directional-emission microdisk lasers.
99 citations
TL;DR: InP/GaInAsP square-resonator microlasers with an output waveguide connected to the midpoint of one side of the square are fabricated by standard photolithography and inductively-coupled-plasma etching technique.
Abstract: InP/GaInAsP square-resonator microlasers with an output waveguide connected to the midpoint of one side of the square are fabricated by standard photolithography and inductively-coupled-plasma etching technique. For a 20-mu m-side square microlaser with a 2-mu m-wide output waveguide, cw threshold current is 11 mA at room temperature, and the highest mode Q factor is 1.0 X 10(4) measured from the mode linewidth at the injection current of 10 mA. Multimode oscillation is observed with the lasing mode wavelength 1546 nm and the side-mode suppression ratio of 20 dB at the injection current of 15 mA. (C) 2008 Optical Society of America
84 citations
TL;DR: From a practical point of view, these findings offer a way to fabricate PM microlaser structures that exhibit low thresholds and directional emission and at the same time are more tolerant to fabrication errors than previously explored coupled-cavity structures composed of identical microresonators.
Abstract: Mechanisms of whispering-gallery (WG)-mode coupling in microdisk photonic molecules (PMs) with slight and significant size mismatches are numerically investigated. The results reveal two different scenarios of modes interaction depending on the degree of this mismatch and offer new insight into how PM parameters can be tuned to control and modify WG-mode wavelengths and Q factors. From a practical point of view, these findings offer a way to fabricate PM microlaser structures that exhibit low thresholds and directional emission and at the same time are more tolerant to fabrication errors than previously explored coupled-cavity structures composed of identical microresonators.
70 citations
References
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TL;DR: A deterministic approach to the implementation of solid-state cavity quantum electrodynamics systems based on a precise spatial and spectral overlap between a single self-assembled quantum dot and a photonic crystal membrane nanocavity is demonstrated.
Abstract: We demonstrate a deterministic approach to the implementation of solid-state cavity quantum electrodynamics (QED) systems based on a precise spatial and spectral overlap between a single self-assembled quantum dot and a photonic crystal membrane nanocavity. By fine-tuning nanocavity modes with a high quality factor into resonance with any given quantum dot exciton, we observed clear signatures of cavity QED (such as the Purcell effect) in all fabricated structures. This approach removes the major hindrances that had limited the application of solid-state cavity QED and enables the realization of experiments previously proposed in the context of quantum information processing.
686 citations
TL;DR: A "bow-tie"-shaped resonance is responsible for the improved performance of the lasers in the higher range of deformations, in contrast to "whispering-gallery"-type modes of circular and weakly deformed lasers.
Abstract: High-power and highly directional semiconductor microcylinder lasers based on an optical resonator with deformed cross section are reported. In the favorable directions of the far-field, a power increase of up to three orders of magnitude over the conventional circularly symmetric lasers was obtained. A “bow-tie”–shaped resonance is responsible for the improved performance of the lasers in the higher range of deformations, in contrast to “whispering-gallery”–type modes of circular and weakly deformed lasers. This resonator design, although demonstrated here in midinfrared quantum-cascade lasers, should be applicable to any laser based on semiconductors or other high–refractive index materials.
663 citations
TL;DR: Measurements indicate that optical loss in these high-Q microresonators is limited not by surface roughness, but rather by surface state absorption and bulk free-carrier absorption.
Abstract: Using a combination of resist reflow to form a highly circular etch mask pattern and a low-damage plasma dry etch, high-quality-factor silicon optical microdisk resonators are fabricated out of silicon-on-insulator (SOI) wafers. Quality factors as high as Q = 5×10^6 are measured in these microresonators, corresponding to a propagation loss coefficient as small as α ~ 0.1 dB/cm. The different optical loss mechanisms are identified through a study of the total optical loss, mode coupling, and thermally-induced optical bistability as a function of microdisk radius (5-30 µm). These measurements indicate that optical loss in these high-Q microresonators is limited not by surface roughness, but rather by surface state absorption and bulk free-carrier absorption.
524 citations
TL;DR: In this paper, the rate equations for a microcavity semiconductor laser are solved and the steady-state behavior of the laser and some of its dynamic characteristics are investigated, and it is shown that by manipulating the mode density and the spontaneous decay rates of the cavity modes, the threshold gain can be decreased and the modulation speed can be improved.
Abstract: The rate equations for a microcavity semiconductor laser are solved and the steady-state behavior of the laser and some of its dynamic characteristics are investigated. It is shown that by manipulating the mode density and the spontaneous decay rates of the cavity modes, the threshold gain can be decreased and the modulation speed can be improved. However, in order to fully exploit the possibilities which the modification of the spontaneous decay opens up, the active material volume in the cavity must be smaller than a certain value. Threshold current using different definitions, population inversion factor, L-I curves, linewidth, and modulation response are discussed. >
363 citations