Showing papers on "Optical microcavity published in 2011"
TL;DR: A review focusing mostly on glass microsphere resonators is presented in this article, where a brief historical background is given in which the state-of-the-art has grown from novel optical resonators to the ultrahigh Q cavities used in cutting-edge experiments.
Abstract: Glass microsphere resonators that support optical resonances known as whispering-gallery modes are unique tools for studying and exploiting optical effects under extremely well controlled conditions. In this paper, a review focusing mostly on glass microsphere resonators is presented. First, a brief historical background is given in which we see how the state-of-the-art has grown from novel optical resonators to the ultrahigh Q cavities used in cutting-edge experiments. After the basic properties of microsphere resonators are outlined we will discuss some of the recent experiments involving microsphere resonators, although some discussion involving polymeric microspheres is also included. The use of doped and undoped microspheres in optical signal processing, optical sensing and quantum optics is highlighted. Finally, there is a brief review of recent optomechanical experiments that use microspheres.
288 citations
TL;DR: In this paper, a single quantum-dot spin in an optical microcavity based on giant circular birefringence is used for state teleportation and entanglement swapping.
Abstract: We present schemes for efficient state teleportation and entanglement swapping using a single quantum-dot spin in an optical microcavity based on giant circular birefringence. State teleportation or entanglement swapping is heralded by the sequential detection of two photons and is finished after the spin measurement. The spin-cavity unit works as a complete Bell-state analyzer with a built-in spin memory allowing loss-resistant repeater operation. This device can work in both the weak coupling and the strong coupling regime, but high efficiencies and high fidelities are achievable only when the side leakage and cavity loss is low. We assess the feasibility of this device and show it can be implemented with current technology. We also propose optical spin manipulation methods at single-photon levels, which could be used to preserve the spin coherence via spin echo techniques.
160 citations
TL;DR: In this article, the 2D microcavity laser has been reviewed from the viewpoint of classical and quantum chaos, and recently developed theoretical approaches have been introduced to explain nonlinear dynamics due to the interaction among wave-chaotic modes through the active lasing medium.
Abstract: Advances in processing technology, such as quantum-well structures and dry-etching techniques, have made it possible to create new types of two-dimensional (2D) microcavity lasers which have 2D emission patterns of output laser light although conventional one-dimensional (1D) edge-emitting-type lasers have 1D emission. Two-dimensional microcavity lasers have given nice experimental stages for fundamental researches on wave chaos closely related to quantum chaos. New types of 2D microcavity lasers also can offer the important lasing characteristics of directionality and high-power output light, and they may well find applications in optical communications, integrated optical circuits, and optical sensors. Fundamental physics of 2D microcavity lasers has been reviewed from the viewpoint of classical and quantum chaos, and recently developed theoretical approaches have been introduced. In addition, nonlinear dynamics due to the interaction among wave-chaotic modes through the active lasing medium is explained. Applications of 2D microcavity lasers for directional emission with strong light confinement are introduced, as well as high-precision rotation sensors designed by using wave-chaotic properties.
119 citations
TL;DR: Qualitative optics effects based on microcavity quantum electrodynamics (QED) would provide novel single-photo-level detection of even single atoms and molecules via detection of doublet vacuum Rabi splitting peaks in strong coupling.
Abstract: This review article discusses fundamentals of dielectric, low-loss, optical micro-resonator sensing, including figures of merit and a variety of microcavity designs, and future perspectives in microcavity-based optical sensing. Resonance frequency and quality (Q) factor are altered as a means of detecting a small system perturbation, resulting in realization of optical sensing of a small amount of sample materials, down to even single molecules. Sensitivity, Q factor, minimum detectable index change, noises (in sensor system components and microcavity system including environments), microcavity size, and mode volume are essential parameters to be considered for optical sensing applications. Whispering gallery mode, photonic crystal, and slot-type microcavities typically provide compact, high-quality optical resonance modes for optical sensing applications. Surface Bloch modes induced on photonic crystals are shown to be a promising candidate thanks to large field overlap with a sample and ultra-high-Q resonances. Quantum optics effects based on microcavity quantum electrodynamics (QED) would provide novel single-photo-level detection of even single atoms and molecules via detection of doublet vacuum Rabi splitting peaks in strong coupling.
112 citations
TL;DR: In this article, the quantum input-output relations between traveling optical and microwave fields coupled to the cavity electro-optic modulator were investigated, and the relations were shown to resemble those of a beam splitter for the traveling fields, so that in the ideal case of zero parasitic loss and critical coupling, microwave photons can be coherently up converted to ''flying'' optical photons with unit efficiency.
Abstract: In a previous paper [Phys. Rev. A 81, 063837 (2010)], I proposed a quantum model of the cavity electro-optic modulator, which can coherently couple an optical cavity mode to a microwave resonator mode and enable quantum operations on the two modes, including laser cooling of the microwave resonator, electro-optic entanglement, and backaction-evading optical measurement of a microwave quadrature. In this sequel, I focus on the quantum input-output relations between traveling optical and microwave fields coupled to the cavity electro-optic modulator. With red-sideband optical pumping, the relations are shown to resemble those of a beam splitter for the traveling fields, so that in the ideal case of zero parasitic loss and critical coupling, microwave photons can be coherently up converted to ``flying'' optical photons with unit efficiency, and vice versa. With blue-sideband pumping, the modulator acts as a nondegenerate parametric amplifier, which can generate two-mode squeezing and hybrid entangled photon pairs at optical and microwave frequencies. These fundamental operations provide a potential bridge between circuit quantum electrodynamics and quantum optics.
104 citations
TL;DR: In this paper, a high-resolution reflection spectroscopy of a quantum dot resonantly coupled to a pillar microcavity was performed, and the change in reflectivity as the quantum dot is tuned through the cavity resonance and measured the quantum-dot-induced phase shift using an ultrastable interferometer.
Abstract: We perform high-resolution reflection spectroscopy of a quantum dot resonantly coupled to a pillar microcavity. We show the change in reflectivity as the quantum dot is tuned through the cavity resonance and measure the quantum-dot-induced phase shift using an ultrastable interferometer. The macroscopic phase shift we measure could be extended to the study of charged quantum dot pillar microcavity systems, where it could be exploited to realize a high-efficiency spin photon interface for hybrid quantum information schemes.
90 citations
TL;DR: In this paper, the influence of electron-acoustic phonon coupling on the emission spectra of a strongly coupled quantum-dot cavity system was analyzed using a canonical Hamiltonian for light quantization and photon Green function formalism.
Abstract: We present a quantum optics approach to describe the influence of electron-acoustic phonon coupling on the emission spectra of a strongly coupled quantum-dot cavity system. Using a canonical Hamiltonian for light quantization and a photon Green function formalism, phonons are included to all orders through the quantum-dot polarizability function obtained within the independent boson model. We derive simple user-friendly analytical expressions for the linear quantum light spectrum, including the influence from both exciton- and cavity-emission decay channels. In the regime of semiconductor cavity QED, we study cavity emission for various exciton-cavity detunings and demonstrate rich spectral asymmetries as well as cavity-mode suppression and enhancement effects. Our technique is nonperturbative and non-Markovian, and can be applied to study photon emission from a wide range of semiconductor quantum-dot structures, including waveguides and coupled cavity arrays. We compare our theory directly to recent and apparently puzzling experimental data for a single site-controlled quantum dot in a photonic crystal cavity and show good agreement as a function of cavity-dot detuning and as a function of temperature.
72 citations
TL;DR: In this paper, a dye-filled optical microcavity, acting as a white-wall box for photons, was used to simulate the Bose-Einstein condensation of photons.
Abstract: Photons, due to the virtually vanishing photon–photon interaction, constitute to very good approximation an ideal Bose gas, but owing to the vanishing chemical potential a (free) photon gas does not show Bose–Einstein condensation. However, this is not necessarily true for a lower-dimensional photon gas. By means of a fluorescence induced thermalization process in an optical microcavity one can achieve a thermal photon gas with freely adjustable chemical potential. Experimentally, we have observed thermalization and subsequently Bose–Einstein condensation of the photon gas at room temperature. In this paper, we give a detailed description of the experiment, which is based on a dye-filled optical microcavity, acting as a white-wall box for photons. Thermalization is achieved in a photon number-conserving way by photon scattering off the dye molecules, and the cavity mirrors both provide an effective photon mass and a confining potential-key prerequisites for the Bose–Einstein condensation of photons. The experimental results are in good agreement with both a statistical and a simple rate equation model, describing the properties of the thermalized photon gas.
67 citations
TL;DR: In this article, the authors present a generic microcavity platform for cavity experiments on optically active nanostructures, such as quantum dots, nanocrystals, color centers, and carbon nanotubes.
Abstract: We present a generic microcavity platform for cavity experiments on optically active nanostructures, such as quantum dots, nanocrystals, color centers, and carbon nanotubes. The cavity is of the Fabry-Perot type with a planar back mirror and a miniature concave top mirror with radius of curvature ∼ 100 μm. Optical access is achieved by free beam coupling, allowing good mode-matching to the cavity mode. The cavity has a high Q-factor, reasonably small mode volume, open access, spatial and spectral tunability, and operates at cryogenic temperatures. Spectral and spatial tuning of the Purcell effect (weak coupling regime) on a single InGaAs quantum dot is demonstrated.
65 citations
TL;DR: Broadband tuning of an optomechanical microcavity optical resonance is demonstrated by exploring the large optomeschanical coupling of a double-wheel microc Cavity and its uniquely low mechanical stiffness.
Abstract: We demonstrate broadband tuning of an optomechanical microcavity optical resonance by exploring the large optomechanical coupling of a double-wheel microcavity and its uniquely low mechanical stiffness. Using a pump laser with only 13 mW at telecom wavelengths we show tuning of the silicon nitride microcavity resonances over 32 nm. This corresponds to a tuning power efficiency of only 400 μW/nm. By choosing a relatively low optical Q resonance (≈18,000) we prevent the cavity from reaching the regime of regenerative optomechanical oscillations. The static mechanical displacement induced by optical gradient forces is estimated to be as large as 60 nm.
60 citations
TL;DR: Novel transparent and conducting one-dimensional photonic crystals that consist of periodically alternating layers of spin-coated antimony-doped tin oxide nanoparticles and sputtered tin-doping indium oxide into organic light emitting diode (OLED) microcavities are integrated.
Abstract: We report herein on the integration of novel transparent and conducting one-dimensional photonic crystals that consist of periodically alternating layers of spin-coated antimony-doped tin oxide nanoparticles and sputtered tin-doped indium oxide into organic light emitting diode (OLED) microcavities. The large refractive index contrast between the layers due the porosity of the nanoparticle layer led to facile fabrication of dielectric mirrors with intense and broadband reflectivity from structures consisting of only five bilayers. Because our photonic crystals are easily amenable to large scale OLED fabrication and simultaneously selectively reflective as well as electronically conductive, such materials are ideally suited for integration into OLED microcavities. In such a device, the photonic crystal, which represents a direct drop-in replacement for typical ITO anodes, is capable of serving two necessary functions: (i) as one partially reflecting mirror of the optical microcavity; and (ii) as the anode ...
TL;DR: In this article, the authors studied a planar microcavity with a resonance near 1300 nm in the telecom range by ultrafast pump-probe reflectivity and observed an ultimate fast and reversible decrease in the resonance frequency due to the instantaneous electronic Kerr effect.
Abstract: We have studied a GaAs–AlAs planar microcavity with a resonance near 1300 nm in the telecom range by ultrafast pump-probe reflectivity. By the judicious choice of pump frequency, we observe an ultimate fast and reversible decrease in the resonance frequency by more than half a linewidth due to the instantaneous electronic Kerr effect. The switch-on and switch-off of the cavity is only limited by the cavity storage time of τcav = 0.3 ps and not by intrinsic material parameters. Our results pave the way to supraterahertz switching rates for on-chip data modulation and real-time cavity quantum electrodynamics.
TL;DR: The interactions often appear as two oppositecases, namely weak and strong couplings, whereby the excitation energy is shared and oscillates between the plasmonic and molecular systems (Rabi oscil-lations), leading to vacuum Rabi splitting of energy levels atthe resonance frequency.
Abstract: The interactions often appear as two oppositecases, namely weak and strong couplings. In the weakcoupling regime, wavefunctions of molecules and SP modesof plasmons are considered to be unperturbed. The strongcoupling or coherent coupling occurs when resonant exciton–plasmon interactionsmodifymolecularwavefunctions andSPmodes, whereby the excitation energy is shared and oscillatesbetween the plasmonic and molecular systems (Rabi oscil-lations), leading to vacuum Rabi splitting of energy levels atthe resonance frequency. This is similar to behaviors ofpolaritons in an optical microcavity.
TL;DR: A Fabry-Perot hybrid microcavity containing an association of a ZnO thin layer and of a layer of the two-dimensional layered perovskite 5-methyl-2-furanmethanamonium lead bromide (MFMPB) was realized in this paper.
Abstract: We realize a Fabry-Perot hybrid microcavity containing an association of a ZnO thin layer and of a layer of the two-dimensional layered perovskite 5-methyl-2-furanmethanamonium lead bromide (MFMPB). From angle-resolved reflectivity experiments performed at low temperature of 5 K, we show that this hybrid cavity works in the strong-coupling regime and that the lower, middle, and upper polariton branches are observed. We show that the middle polariton branch (MPB) contains a significant component of the cavity photon and both of the two exciton species.
TL;DR: A novel platform, based on bioconjugated silica microsphere resonators, to study the binding kinetics of the biotin-streptavidin system is developed and demonstrated and preliminary kinetic analysis of the detection data shows the potential of whispering gallery mode resonators in the determination of the dissociation constant of the binding pair.
Abstract: Silica optical microcavity sensors show great promise in the kinetic evaluation of binding pairs, fundamental in understanding biomolecular interactions. Here, we develop and demonstrate a novel platform, based on bioconjugated silica microsphere resonators, to study the binding kinetics of the biotin-streptavidin system. We characterize the optical performance, verify the covalent attachment of biotin to the surface, and perform streptavidin detection experiments. We perform preliminary kinetic analysis of the detection data which shows the potential of whispering gallery mode resonators in the determination of the dissociation constant of the binding pair, which is in good agreement with previously published values.
TL;DR: The emission properties of a single quantum dot in a microcavity are studied on the basis of a semiconductor model and the onset of stimulated emission, the possibility to realize stimulated emission in the strong-coupling regime, as well as the excitation-dependent changes of the photon statistics and the emission spectrum are investigated.
Abstract: The emission properties of a single quantum dot in a microcavity are studied on the basis of a semiconductor model. As a function of the pump rate of the system we investigate the onset of stimulated emission, the possibility to realize stimulated emission in the strong-coupling regime, as well as the excitation-dependent changes of the photon statistics and the emission spectrum. The role of possible excited charged and multi-exciton states, the different sources of dephasing for various quantum-dot transitions, and the influence of background emission into the cavity mode are analyzed in detail. In the strong coupling regime, the emission spectrum can contain a line at the cavity resonance in addition to the vacuum doublet caused by off-resonant transitions of the same quantum dot. If strong coupling persists in the regime of stimulated emission, the emission spectrum near the cavity resonance additionally grows due to broadened contributions from higher rungs of the Jaynes-Cummings ladder.
TL;DR: In this article, the authors present a platform for testing the device performance of a cavity-emitter system, using an ensemble of emitters and a tapered optical fiber, and show that the fiber-coupled average Purcell factor is 2-3 times greater than that of free-space collection, although due to ensemble averaging it is still a factor of 3 less than the Purcell Factor of a single, ideally placed center.
Abstract: In this work, we present a platform for testing the device performance of a cavity–emitter system, using an ensemble of emitters and a tapered optical fiber. This method provides high-contrast spectra of the cavity modes, selective detection of emitters coupled to the cavity and an estimate of the device performance in the single-emitter case. Using nitrogen-vacancy (NV) centers in diamond and a GaP optical microcavity, we are able to tune the cavity onto the NV resonance at 10 K, couple the cavity-coupled emission to a tapered fiber and measure the fiber-coupled NV spontaneous emission decay. Theoretically, we show that the fiber-coupled average Purcell factor is 2–3 times greater than that of free-space collection, although due to ensemble averaging it is still a factor of 3 less than the Purcell factor of a single, ideally placed center.
TL;DR: In this article, the lasing operation of a ZnO planar microcavity under optical pumping is demonstrated from T=80 K to 300 K. At the laser threshold, the cavity switches from the strong coupling to the weak coupling regime.
Abstract: The lasing operation of a ZnO planar microcavity under optical pumping is demonstrated from T=80 K to 300 K. At the laser threshold, the cavity switches from the strong coupling to the weak coupling regime. A gain-related transition, which appears while still observing polariton branches and, thus, with stable excitons, is observed below 240K. This shows that exciton scattering processes, typical of II-VI semiconductors, are involved in the gain process.
Patent•
13 Jul 2011TL;DR: In this article, the tunable-grating waveguides in the laser source were shown to reflect a portion of the optical signal back into the optical cavity, and at least one of the tunables transmits a remainder of the light signal out of the laser cavity.
Abstract: A laser source includes an optical cavity having a length exceeding a first predefined distance (such as 6 mm), where a wavelength spacing between optical modes associated with the optical cavity is less than a second predefined distance (such as 100 pm). Moreover, a gain medium in the laser source amplifies the optical signal. Furthermore, tunable-grating waveguides in the laser source, which are optically coupled to ends of the optical cavity, reflect a portion of the optical signal back into the optical cavity, and at least one of the tunable-grating waveguides transmits a remainder of the optical signal out of the optical cavity.
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors discuss the fine-tuning of the optical properties of self-assembled quantum dots by the strain perturbation introduced by laser-induced surface defects, and show experimentally that the quantum dot transition red-shifts, independently of the actual position of the defect, and such frequency shift is about a factor five larger than the corresponding shift of a micropillar cavity mode resonance.
Abstract: We discuss the fine-tuning of the optical properties of self-assembled quantum dots by the strain perturbation introduced by laser-induced surface defects. We show experimentally that the quantum dot transition red-shifts, independently of the actual position of the defect, and that such frequency shift is about a factor five larger than the corresponding shift of a micropillar cavity mode resonance. We present a simple model that accounts for these experimental findings.
TL;DR: This work designs coupled optical microcavities and reports directional light emission from high-Q modes for a broad range of refractive indices and obtains high- Q modes with promising directional emission characteristics.
Abstract: We design coupled optical microcavities and report directional light emission from high-Q modes for a broad range of refractive indices. The system consists of a circular cavity that provides a high-Q mode in the form of a whispering gallery mode, whereas an adjacent deformed microcavity plays the role of a waveguide or collimator of the light transmitted from the circular cavity. As a result of this very simple, yet robust, concept we obtain high-Q modes with promising directional emission characteristics. No information about phase space is required, and the proposed scheme can be easily realized in experiments.
TL;DR: This Letter demonstrates a method that is able to detect temperature-induced changes in the refractive index of polystyrene polymer thin films as small as 10(-7), based on optical microcavity resonators.
Abstract: Organic and inorganic polymeric thin films have numerous applications, including solar cells, biodetection, and nanocomposites. Improving our understanding of the fundamental material behavior is critical to designing polymers with ideal behavior and increased lifetime. However, there are limited nondestructive characterization methods that are able to perform these high-resolution measurements. In this Letter, we demonstrate a method that is able to detect temperature-induced changes in the refractive index of polystyrene polymer thin films as small as 10−7. This approach is based on optical microcavity resonators. The experimental results agree well with the theoretical simulations.
TL;DR: Based on the well-defined optical properties of a PSM, a bacteria detection chip is fabricated by surface modification using undecylenic acid, and the specific recognition binding of vancomycin to the D-alanyl-D-alanine of bacteria is identified.
Abstract: A porous silicon microcavity (PSM) is highly sensitive to subtle interface changes due to its high surface area, capillary condensation ability and a narrow resonance peak (∼10 nm). Based on the well-defined optical properties of a PSM, we successfully fabricated a bacteria detection chip for molecular or subcellular analysis by surface modification using undecylenic acid (UA), and the specific recognition binding of vancomycin to the D-alanyl-D-alanine of bacteria. The red shift of the PSM resonance peak showed a good linear relationship with bacteria concentration ranging from 100 to 1000 bacteria ml( - 1) at the level of relative standard deviation of 0.994 and detection limit of 20 bacteria ml( - 1). The resulting PSM sensors demonstrated high sensitivity, good reproducibility, fast response and low cost for biosensing.
TL;DR: A coupler based on silicon spherical microcavities coupled to silicon waveguides for telecom wavelengths is presented, experimentally demonstrated and theoretically modeled with the help of FDTD calculations.
Abstract: A coupler based on silicon spherical microcavities coupled to silicon waveguides for telecom wavelengths is presented. The light scattered by the microcavity is detected and analyzed as a function of the wavelength. The transmittance signal through the waveguide is strongly attenuated (up to 25 dB) at wavelengths corresponding to the Mie resonances of the microcavity. The coupling between the microcavity and the waveguide is experimentally demonstrated and theoretically modeled with the help of FDTD calculations.
TL;DR: In this paper, a dye saturated porous silicon based single and coupled microcavities were used to demonstrate the photoluminescence line narrowing and intensity enhancement in a single-and multi-dimensional micro-cavity.
TL;DR: The quality factor of microcavity organic lasers, designed for operation under electric pumping, has been numerically investigated and shown a quality factor as high as 15,000.
Abstract: The quality factor of microcavity organic lasers, designed for operation under electric pumping, has been numerically investigated. The microcavity structure consists of an organic light emitting diode set in between multilayer dielectric mirrors centered for an emission at 620 nm. In order to optimize the quality factor, different parameters have been studied: the impact of high and low index materials used for the multilayer mirrors, the role of a spacer inserted in between the mirrors to obtain an extended cavity, and the effect of an absorbing electrode made of metallic or transparent conductive oxide layer. The results of our different optimizations have shown a quality factor (Q) as high as 15,000.
TL;DR: In this article, the authors present a platform for testing the device performance of a cavity-emitter system, using an ensemble of emitters and a tapered optical fiber, and show that the fiber-coupled average Purcell factor is 2-3 times greater than that of free-space collection; although due to ensemble averaging it is still a factor of 3 less than the Purcell Factor of a single, ideally placed center.
Abstract: In this work we present a platform for testing the device performance of a cavity-emitter system, using an ensemble of emitters and a tapered optical fiber. This method provides high-contrast spectra of the cavity modes, selective detection of emitters coupled to the cavity, and an estimate of the device performance in the single- emitter case. Using nitrogen-vacancy (NV) centers in diamond and a GaP optical microcavity, we are able to tune the cavity onto the NV resonance at 10 K, couple the cavity-coupled emission to a tapered fiber, and measure the fiber-coupled NV spontaneous emission decay. Theoretically we show that the fiber-coupled average Purcell factor is 2-3 times greater than that of free-space collection; although due to ensemble averaging it is still a factor of 3 less than the Purcell factor of a single, ideally placed center.
Journal Article•
TL;DR: In this paper, the optical bistability of an ultracold atomic ensemble located in a small-volume ultrahigh-finesse optical cavity is investigated and a transverse pumping field can be used to control the bistable behavior of the intracavity photons induced by the input pumping along the cavity axis.
Abstract: The optical bistability of an ultracold atomic ensemble located in a small-volume ultrahigh-finesse optical cavity is investigated. We find that a transverse pumping field can be used to control the bistable behavior of the intracavity photons induced by the input pumping along the cavity axis. This phenomenon can be used as a controllable optical switch.
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors demonstrate evanescently coupled bilayer microcavities with Q-factors exceeding 250 fabricated by a simple spin-coating process, where the cavity architecture consists of a slab waveguide lying upon a low refractive index spacer layer supported by a glass substrate.
Abstract: We demonstrate evanescently coupled bilayer microcavities with Q-factors exceeding 250 fabricated by a simple spin-coating process. The cavity architecture consists of a slab waveguide lying upon a low refractive index spacer layer supported by a glass substrate. For a lossless guide layer, the cavity Q depends only on the thickness of the low index spacer and in principle can reach arbitrarily high values. We demonstrate the versatility of this approach by constructing cavities with a guide layer incorporating CdSe/ZnS core/shell quantum dots, where we observe strong coupling and hybridization between the 1S(e)-1S3/2(h) and 1S(e)-2S3/2(h) exciton states mediated by the cavity photon. This technique greatly simplifies the fabrication of high-Q planar microcavities for organic and inorganic quantum dot thin films and opens up new opportunities for the study of nonlinear optical phenomena in these materials.
TL;DR: In this article, a superlattice embedded in an optical microcavity is theoretically analyzed, where femtosecond light pulses can be spatially confined and amplified.
Abstract: The coherent generation and detection of acoustic phonons in a superlattice embedded in an optical microcavity is theoretically analyzed. In this optical resonator, femtosecond light pulses can be spatially confined and amplified. We show that the acoustic phonon generation is enhanced as the intensity of the incident electromagnetic field is amplified in resonance with the optical microcavity. The detection process is also enhanced by the optical resonator. In the case of real photoelastic constants the maximum sensitivity occurs when the probe wavelength is tuned to where the derivative of the reflectivity has its maxima, at the optical cavity mode edges. We also analyze the role of the imaginary part of the photoelastic constants of the structure in the generation and detection processes. Finally, we study the enhancement efficiency of the microcavities when the coherent generation and detection are optimized simultaneously; we estimate phonon signals up to six orders of magnitude higher than the ones obtained with the superlattice without optical confinement.