This PDF file contains the front matter associated with SPIE Proceedings Volume 9727 including the Title Page, Copyright information, Table of Contents, Introduction, and Conference Committee listing.

A novel optical fiber coupler to whispering gallery mode (WGM) micro-resonators, which allows frequency selective addressing of different micro-resonators along the same fiber, is proposed. The coupling unit is based on a pair of identical long period fiber gratings (LPGs) and a thick adiabatic taper (>15 μm in waist) in between, where evanescent coupling from cladding modes to WGMs takes place. This robust unit can be replicated more times along the same fiber, simply cascading LPGs with different bands. Independent addressing of two different resonators along the same fiber is demonstrated.

In this research, we present a packaged add–drop filter composed of a silica microsphere resonator and a strongly coupled optical microfiber coupler. A one-step fabrication process using UV curable epoxy is shown to stabilize the microsphere resonator coupled to the microfiber coupler, which is used as add and drop ports. A high Q-factor of 3×10⁷ is obtained at around 780 nm from the packaged microspheres coupled with the microfiber coupler in the add–drop configuration.

We report on the observation of optically induced transparency (OIT) in a compact microresonator in an ambient environment by introducing a four-wave mixing gain to nonlinearly couple two separated resonances of the micro-cavity. Its optical-controlling capacity and non-reciprocity characteristics at the transparency windows are also demonstrated. Active-controlling of the OIT can be achieved by varying a strong pump beam, while a small frequency-detuning of the pump can lead to a Fano-like asymmetric resonance justifying the interference nature of OIT. Furthermore, OIT observed here is a non-reciprocal one, since FWM gain is a unidirectional one owing to the conservation law of momentum.

We demonstrate a passive scheme for deterministic interactions between a single photon and a single atom. Relying on single-photon Raman interaction (SPRINT), this control-fields free scheme swaps a flying qubit, encoded in the two possible input modes of a photon, with a stationary qubit, encoded in the two ground states of the atom, and can be also harnessed to perform universal quantum gates. Using SPRINT we experimentally demonstrated all-optical switching of single photons by single photons, and deterministic extraction of a single photon from an optical pulse. Applicable to any atom-like Lambda system, SPRINT provides a versatile building block for scalable quantum networks based on completely passive nodes interconnected and activated solely by single photons.

High and ultra-quality factor (Q) optical resonators have been used in numerous applications, ranging from biodetection and gyroscopes to nonlinear optics. In the majority of the measurements, the fundamental optical mode is used as it is easy to predict its behavior and subsequent response. However, there are numerous other modes which could give improved performance or offer alternative measurement opportunities. For example, by using a mode located farther from the device surface, the optical field becomes less susceptible to changes in the environment. However, selectively exciting a pre-determined, non-fundamental mode or, alternatively, creating a “designer” mode which has one’s ideal properties is extremely challenging. One approach which will be presented is based on engineering a gradient refractive index (GRIN) cavity. We use a silica ultra-high-Q toroidal cavity as a starting platform device. On top of this structure, we can controllably deposit, layer or grow different materials of different refractive indices, with nm-scale precision, creating resonators with a GRIN region co-located with the optical field. Slight adjustments in the thicknesses or indices of the films result in large changes in the mode which is most easily excited. Even in this architected structure, we have maintained Q>1 million. Using this approach, we have demonstrated the ability to tune the properties of the device. For example, we have changed the thermal response and the UV response of a device by over an order of magnitude.

Integrated whispering-gallery mode resonators are attractive devices which have found applications as selective filters, low-threshold lasers, high-speed modulators, high-sensitivity sensors and even as nonlinear converters. Their performance is governed by the level of detrimental (scattering, bulk, bending) loss incurred and the usable loss represented by the coupling rate between the resonator and its access waveguide. Practically, the latter parameter can be more accurately controlled when the resonator lies above the access waveguide, in other words, when the device uses a vertical integration scheme. So far, when using such an integration technique, the process involved a rather technically challenging step being either a planarization or a substrate transfer step. In this presentation, we propose and demonstrate an alternative method to fabricate vertically-coupled whispering-gallery mode resonators on III-V semiconductor epitaxial structures which has the benefit of being planarization-free and performed as single-side top-down process. The approach relies on a selective lateral thermal oxidation of aluminum-rich AlGaAs layers to define the buried access waveguide and enhance the vertical confinement of the whispering-gallery mode into the resonator. As a first experimental proof-of-principle of this approach, 75 µm-diameter micro-disk devices exhibiting quality factor reaching ~4500 have been successfully made.

We present a numerical and experimental study of the generation of harmonic mode locking in a silica toroid microcavity. We use a generalized mean-field Lugiato-Lefever equation and solve it with the split-step Fourier method. We found that a stable harmonic mode-locking regime can be accessed when we reduce the input power after strong pumping even if we do not carefully adjust the wavelength detuning. This is due to the bistable nature of the nonlinear cavity system. The experiment agrees well with the numerical analysis, where we obtain a low-noise Kerr comb spectrum with a narrow longitudinal mode spacing by gradually reducing the input pump power after strong pumping. This finding clarifies the procedure for generating harmonic mode locking in such high-Q microcavity systems.

High-Q whispering gallery mode resonators have been mostly studied in the visible and near-IR wavelength regions for optical frequency comb and spectroscopy. With crystalline materials, their use can be extended to the mid-IR beyond 2 μm where molecular gases not only have very rich characteristic spectral lines but also very large absorption cross sections. In this paper, we describe our continued efforts of pushing whispering gallery mode resonator applications in the mid-IR wavelength region for spectroscopic applications including Kerr comb generation and molecular absorption spectroscopy. With a variety of mid-IR transmitting crystalline materials, we investigate their Q and limiting factors, dispersion and spectral engineering, parametric oscillation and comb generation. We have also explored the utility and limitation of using high Q resonators for ringdown molecular absorption measurements.

We report efficient generation of nonlinear phenomena related to third order optical non-linear susceptibility χ⁽³⁾ interactions in resonant silica microspheres and microbubbles in the regime of normal dispersion. The interactions here reported are: Stimulated Raman Scattering (SRS), and four wave mixing processes comprising Stimulated Anti-stokes Raman Scattering (SARS) and comb generation. Unusually strong anti-Stokes components and extraordinarily symmetric spectra have been observed. Resonant SARS and SRS corresponding to different Raman bands were also observed. The lack of correlation between stimulated anti-stokes and stokes scattering spectra indicates that the signal has to be resonant with the cavity.

Whispering gallery mode resonators have been the focus of many research works in recent years. They allow to study the light-matter interactions induced by the confinement of photons in nonlinear media. In particular, Brillouin Raman and Kerr nonlinearities excite the resonator at the lattice, molecular and electronic scale. This difference in spatial scales give to whispering gallery-mode resonators the potential to be central photonic components in microwave photonics, quantum optics and optoelectronics. We discuss in this communication some of the key challenges that have to be met for the understanding of Kerr, Raman and Brillouin interactions that can take place in these resonators.

Passive fiber mode-locked lasers enable the excitation of multiple pulses per round trip representing a potential solutions for the increasing demand of practical optical sources with repetition rates of hundreds of GHz or higher. The control of such high repetition rate regimes is however a challenge. To this purpose, linear filters have been used in an "intracavity" configuration to force the repetition rate of the laser. This design is known as dissipative four wave mixing (DFWM) but it is usually unstable and hence marginally suitable for practical applications. We explore the use of nonlinear intracavity filters, such as integrated micro-ring resonators, capable of “driving” the FWM interaction in the laser. We term this approach as Filter-Driven FWM. With a proper choice of the filter properties in terms of free spectral range (FSR) and Q factor, we could observe stable regimes over a wide range of operating conditions, from high repetition rate oscillation at a 200GHz to the formation of two stable spectral comb replicas separated by the FSR of the main cavity (65MHz). High order filters, moreover, allow achieving nonlinear operation over large passbands. With an 11th order filter we achieve low-frequency mode-locking between the main cavity modes that oscillate within each resonance of the filter, producing burst pulsed operation. A stable mode-locked pulse train at 655GHz with an envelope of 42ps at 6.45MHz is achieved.

We demonstrate unique piezoelectric optomechanical devices able to coherently transfer microwave electrical signals to modulated optical signals, and vice versa, transferring modulated optical signals to microwave electrical signals. This coherent bilateral transfer, demonstrated most recently in a single device design, holds promise for the eventual demonstration of coherent transfer in the quantum domain. The basis of design for the devices with which this was accomplished is an optomechanical crystal that supports co-located optical and mechanical resonant modes, coupled to one other via moving boundary (index of refraction) modulation, either induced by motion from energy in the mechanical mode, or by optical pressure due to energy in the optical mode. The basis for coupling microwave mechanical motion to microwave electrical signals is via the use of a piezoelectric material for the entire device, where transduction itself is accomplished using metal transducers remote from the optomechanical structure. This remote design minimizes the lossy interaction of any optical signals with the metal electrode structures, but introduces the need to couple the electromechanical transducer to the optomechanical transducer via itinerant phonons, which presents a new challenge.

The native shape of the single-mode laser beam used for high power material processing applications is circular with a Gaussian intensity profile. Manufacturers are now demanding the ability to transform the intensity profile and shape to be compatible with a new generation of advanced processing applications that require much higher precision and control. We describe the design, fabrication and application of a dual-optic, beam-shaping system for single-mode laser sources, that transforms a Gaussian laser beam by remapping – hence field mapping - the intensity profile to create a wide variety of spot shapes including discs, donuts, XY separable and rotationally symmetric. The pair of optics transform the intensity distribution and subsequently flatten the phase of the beam, with spot sizes and depth of focus close to that of a diffraction limited beam. The field mapping approach to beam-shaping is a refractive solution that does not add speckle to the beam, making it ideal for use with single mode laser sources, moving beyond the limits of conventional field mapping in terms of spot size and achievable shapes. We describe a manufacturing process for refractive optics in fused silica that uses a freeform direct-write process that is especially suited for the fabrication of this type of freeform optic. The beam-shaper described above was manufactured in conventional UV-fused silica using this process. The fabrication process generates a smooth surface (<1nm RMS), leading to laser damage thresholds of greater than 100J/cm2, which is well matched to high power laser sources. Experimental verification of the dual-optic filed mapper is presented.

Beam delivery fibers have been used widely for transporting the optical beams from the laser to the subject of irradiation in a variety of markets including industrial, medical and defense applications. Standard beam delivery fibers range from 50 to 1500 μm core diameter and are used to guide CW or pulsed laser light, generated by solid state, fiber or diode lasers. Here, we introduce a novel fiber technology capable of simultaneously controlling the beam profile and the angular divergence of single-mode (SM) and multi-mode (MM) beams using a single-optical fiber. Results of beam transformation from a SM to a MM beam with flat-top intensity profile are presented in the case of a controlled BPP at 3.8 mm*mrad. The scaling capabilities of this flat-top fiber design to achieve a range of BPP values while ensuring a flat-top beam profile are discussed. In addition, we demonstrate, for the first time to the best of our knowledge, the homogenizer capabilities of this novel technology, able to transform random MM beams into uniform flat-top beam profiles with very limited impact on the beam brightness. This study is concluded with a discussion on the scalability of this fiber technology to fit from 50 up to 1500 μm core fibers and its potential for a broader range of applications.

The ISO 11146-1 standard for measurement of a laser’s M-square requires the minimum measurement of five (5) spatial profiles within the first Rayleigh range and an addition five (5) outside the second Rayleigh range. The first five spatial profiles within the first Rayleigh range establish the beam waist and its location; the second five beyond the second Rayleigh range establish the divergence or convergence from the focusing lens for the M-square computation. The majority of methods used to date are all time averaged and as such are incapable of a real time M-square measurement. We present an ISO 11146-1 compliant method for measuring single shot M-square or beam parameter product values or the measurement of continuous wave sources at rates greater than five frames per second utilizing a pair of GigE based CMOS sensors. One GigE CMOS sensor is setup to measure the minimum of five spots within the first Rayleigh range for the establishment of the beam waist and its location. A second GigE CMOS sensor is setup to measure the five spatial profiles beyond the second Rayleigh range for the determination of the beam divergence from the focusing lens. Both GigE cameras utilize optics that passively create multiple spatial time slices of the beam and superimpose these time slices on the CMOS sensor in real time resulting in the ability to make single pulse measurements or continuous wave measurements at speeds of greater than five frames per second with full ISO 11146-1 compliance.

Depending on the application, high-power diode lasers (HPDL) have individual requirements on their beam-shaping as well as their mechanical fixation. In order to reduce assembly efforts, laser system manufacturers request pre-assembled beam-shaping systems consisting of a support structure for adhesive bonding as well as one, two or more lenses. Therefore, manufacturers of micro-optics for HPDL need flexible solutions for assembling beam-shaping subassemblies. This paper discusses current solutions for mounting optical subassemblies for beam-shaping of high-power diode lasers and their drawbacks regarding quality and scalability. Subsequently, the paper presents a device which can be used for the sensor-guided assembly of beam-shaping systems based on bottomtab support structures. Results from test productions of several hundred modules are presented showing that repeatability in the range of 1 μm is feasible on an industrial level.

We report on transiently phase matched second harmonic generation in an on-chip lithium niobate (LN) microresonator fabricated by femtosecond laser direct writing followed by focused ion beam milling. We demonstrate a normalized conversion efficiency of 1.1×10^-3/mW in the LN microdisk with a diameter of ~102 μm and a thickness of ~700 nm.

We present a simple and effective set-up to exploit the enhancement of passive optical cavities that are directly made from a liquid droplet. The optical resonances, corresponding to the so-called whispering-gallery modes (WGMs), are excited by a focused free-space beam edge-coupling scheme. Very narrow resonances are observed, both in the visible and near-infrared spectral regions, with quality (Q) factors ranging from 10⁵ to 10⁷ and beyond. Different methods for interrogation via frequency locking of a laser source to the WGM are shown. Locking of a diode laser to the equatorial modes of a liquid droplet resonator is demonstrated at 1560 nm and 663 nm. This approach makes high-performance optical sensing directly feasible in liquid samples with a number of advantages in view of their application for detection and quantification of bio-molecules.

We achieved four types of laser emissions with quantum dots (QDs) using the same high-Q-factor optofluidic ring resonator (OFRR) platform. In the first type, 2 μM QDs dissolved in toluene that filled the entire OFRR cavity volume were employed as the gain medium. The lasing threshold was 15-22 μJ/mm². In the second type, 2 μM aqueous QDs were in bulk buffer solution that filled the entire OFRR cavity volume. The lasing threshold was 0.1 μJ/mm², over 3 orders of magnitude lower than the state-of-the-art. In the third type, the aqueous QDs were immobilized as a single layer on the interface between the OFRR inner wall and buffer solution with a surface density as low as 3×10⁹ − 10¹0cm⁻². The lasing threshold of 60 μJ/mm² was achieved. In the fourth type, we achieved optofluidic FRET lasing using aqueous QDs as FRET donors and Cy5 dye molecules as acceptors. We observed lasing from Cy5 emission band in QD-Cy5 pair when excited at QD absorption band, far away from Cy5 absorption maximum. We also report a comprehensive theoretical analysis of optofluidic FRET lasers that was performed based on a Fabry-Perot microcavity using a rate equation model. By comparing FRET lasingbased sensors with conventional sensors using FRET signals obtained by spontaneous fluorescence emission, we show that for optimal pump fluence and FRET pair concentration, FRET lasing can lead to more than 20-fold enhancement in detection sensitivities of conformation changes for linker lengths in the Förster radius range.

Flow sensing using the concept of a hot whispering gallery microlaser is presented. Silica microcapillaries or microbubbles, coated with a layer of erbium:ytterbium (Er:Yb) doped phosphate laser glass, result in a hollow, microbottle-shaped laser geometry. The Er:Yb doped glass outer layer is pumped at 980 nm via a tapered optical fiber and whispering gallery mode (WGM) lasing is recorded at 1535 nm. When gas passes through the capillary, the WGMs shift toward shorter wavelengths due to the cooling effect of the fluid flow. In this way, thermal tuning of the lasing modes over 70 GHz can be achieved. The output end of the capillary is connected to a mass flow sensor and the WGM shift rate as a function of flow rate and pump laser power is measured, with the results fitted using hot wire anemometry theory. Flow sensing can also be realized when the cavity is passively probed at 780 nm, with the estimated Q-factor of the WGMs being in excess of 10⁵.

In order to optimize the performance of an optical microbubble resonator (OMBR) as biosensor, the chemical functionalization of its inner surface plays a key role. Here we report on a spatially selective photo – chemical procedure able to bind fluorescent biomolecules only in correspondence of the OMBR inner surface. This abruptly reduces the occurrence of an undesired specific biochemical bond event all along the microfluidic section of the device. The evidence of this method, which maintains high Q factor (> 10⁵) for the OMBR in buffer solution, is proved by fluorescence microscopy and real time measurement of the resonance broadening.

In this paper, we propose a bio-sensing method using optical heterodyne detection for ultra-high Q micro-disk laser (MDL) sensor platform. MDL structure with ultra-high Q-factor (> 10⁸) has advantage in detecting a small variation of the lasing wavelength. For example, when a single molecule is attached to sidewall of MDL, the lasing wavelength is changed by sub-pm. Optical spectrum analyzer (OSA) has limits to detect sub-pm variation in the resonant wavelength because of the spectral resolution. In order to overcome this limitation, we used a heterodyne detection method which needs two MDLs with the same characteristics.

Spinning spherical resonators in the torsional vibrational applications could cause a shift in its whispering gallery mode (WGM). The centripetal force acting on the spinning micro sphere resonator will leads to these WGM shifts. An analysis and experiment were carried out in this paper to investigate and demonstrate this effect using different polymeric resonators. In this experiment, centripetal force exerted by the DC-Motor on the sphere induces an elastic deformation of the resonator. This in turn induces a shift in the whispering gallery modes of the sphere resonator. Materials used for the sphere are polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS 60:1 where 60 parts base silicon elastomer to 1 part polymer curing agent by volume) with shear modulus (G≈1kPa), (PDMS 10:1) with shear modulus (G≈300kPa), polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA, G≈2.6×10⁹GPa) and silica (G≈3×10¹⁰ GPa). The sphere size was kept constant with 1mm in diameter for all above materials. The optical modes of the sphere exit using a tapered single mode optical fiber that is coupled to a distributed feedback laser. The transmission spectrum through the fiber is monitored to detect WGM shifts. The results showed the resonators with smaller shear modulus G experience larger WGM shift due to the larger mechanical deformation induced by the applied external centripetal force. Also, the results show that angular velocity sensors used in the torsional vibrational applications could be designed using this principle.

Various models of filamentation in air are presented and the remaining theoretical challenges are pointed out. Means to extend the range of filaments are reviewed and proposed. Filaments offer promise of guiding electrical discharges over large gaps. Experiments of UV filament induced discharge are presented.

The deformable mirror with the size of 410x468 mm controlled by the bimorph piezoceramic plates and multilayer piezoceramic stacks was developed. The results of the measurements of the response functions of all the actuators and of the surface shape of the deformable mirror are presented in this paper. The study of the mirror with a Fizeau interferometer and a Shack-Hartmann wavefront sensor has shown that it was possible to improve the flatness of the surface down to a residual roughness of 0.033 μm (RMS). The possibility of correction of the aberrations in high power lasers was numerically demonstrated.

In this paper, we experimentally demonstrate novel method of generating discrete excitation of on-demand Lagaurre-Gaussian (LG) mode pulses, in a diode pumped solid-state digital laser. The digital laser comprises of an intra-cavity spatial light modulator (SLM) that acts as an end-mirror of the resonator for uploading digital holograms, for the selection of discrete LG modes and controlling the quality facto, Q of the resonator. Discrete excitation of LG mode pulses of azimuthal-order l of 0, 1, 2, with zero radial-order (p = 0) were generated. Pulses of duration 200 ms and intensities as high as 1 mW with repetition speed of 60 Hz were produced at 1 um wavelength. The maximum peak power-conversion efficiency measured was 1.3%.

In this conference paper we experimentally demonstrate the generation of Radial-order Laguerre-Gaussian (LG_pl) modes of radial-order p and azimuthal order l = 0, using intracavity beam shaping technique. An amplitude mask encoded on digital holograms, and displayed on a spatial light modulator, acts as an end-mirror of the resonator (SLM). The digital holograms contained absorbing rings that matched the zeros of the desired Laguerre-Gaussian mode. We demonstrated the generation of LG_p0, for p = 0 to p = 3, by using full circular absorbing rings and incomplete circular absorbing rings. We are illustrating the advantages associated using incomplete circular absorbing rings. We also observed that the laser resonator will have a lower threshold, while at the same time maintain the same laser characteristics.

In this paper we experimentally demonstrate the measurement of thermally induced lensing, using a Shack-Hartmann wavefront sensor. We measured the thermally induced lens from the coefficient of defocus aberration using a Shack-Hartmann wavefront sensor (SHWFS). As a calibration technique, we infer the focal length of standard lenses probed by a collimated Gaussian beam of wavelength 633 nm. The technique was applied to an Nd:YAG crystal that is actively pumped by a diode laser operating at 808 nm. The results were compared to the results obtained by changing the properties of the end-pumped solid-state laser resonator operating at 1064 nm, where the length of an unstable plane-parallel laser resonator cavity is varied, and the laser output power was measured.

The leakage of 1121 nm power from a resonator cavity because of spectral broadening seriously degrades the performance of a Raman resonator by reducing the 1121 nm circulating power and the 1178 nm output power. Therefore, it is important to understand the conditions which minimize 1121 nm power leakage, maximize 1121 intracavity and 1178 nm output power while enabling a manageable Stimulated Brillouin Scattering gain for narrow linewidth systems. It was found that cavity lengths longer than approximately 40 m didn’t result in significantly more 1121 nm linewidth broadening. Relative to the high reflectivity bandwidth of the fiber Bragg gratings, it was found that 4 nm FBGs seemed to optimize 1178 nm amplification while minimizing the amount of 1121 nm power leakage. A two stage high power 1178 nm Raman system was built and 20 W of 1178 nm output power was achieved with a polarization extinction ratio of 21 and nearly diffraction limited beam quality. Linewidth broadening was found to increase as the 1178 nm output increased and was approximately 8 GHz when the 1178 nm output power was 20 W. Because of the linewidth broadening, a co-pumped second Stokes Raman laser system is not useful for the sodium guidestar laser application which requires narrow linewidth.

The partial differential equation for the three dimensional propagation of a light beam may be solved numerically by applying finite-difference techniques. We consider the matrix equation for the finite-difference, alternating direction implicit (ADI), numerical solution of the paraxial wave equation for the free-space propagation of light beams. The matrix is tridiagonal. It is also a Toeplitz matrix; Each diagonal descending from left to right is constant. Eigenvalues and eigenvectors are known for such matrices. The equation can be solved by making use of the orthogonality property of the eigenvectors.

In the last years, optical resonators have emerged as a promising tool for highly sensitive measurements. Especially for label-free measurements of biological substances, the resonators have to be functionalized by additional surface layers. Since the properties of the resonator, like the refractive index of the core and the layer as well as the layer thickness or the core radius can deeply in fluence the sensitivity. For this reason, a geometrical optics based theory is used to investigate the dependence of the resonance wavelength on the resonator properties.

An ultra-high Q whispering gallery mode (WGM) cavity is attractive because the light-matter interaction is enhanced inside it. In terms of science and engineering, an interesting use of a WGM cavity is as a coupled system. When two cavity modes are strongly coupled, they are split in the frequency domain and photons are transferred cyclically between the two modes in the time domain. Recently, the time-domain observation and control of the coupling states were reported with photonic crystal nanocavities, and this technology is essential for developing a quantum node and a quantum network. However, such experiments have not yet been achieved with ultra-high Q modes despite the potential benefit to be gained from the use of ultra-high Q cavities. In this study, we observed strong coupling between ultra-high Q modes in the time domain for the first time. We employed two counter-propagating modes that coupled with each other via surface scattering in a silica toroid microcavity. We employed two tapered fibers (add-drop configuration), one for excitation and the other for observing the energy oscillation between two cavities, which is a necessary technique for directly observing energy in a cavity. The results revealed clear oscillatory behavior, which was induced by the strong coupling. In addition, the oscillation period in the time domain precisely matched that inferred from the mode splitting in the frequency domain, and the measured results showed excellent agreement with those calculated with the developed numerical model.

In this paper we present recent results of formation of different beam intensity distribution by means of bimorph deformable mirrors. We discuss the results of such formation as well as the problems that one faces on this way. A new method for beam structure modification is suggested based on the use of Shack-Hartmann wavefront sensor with the combination of standard M2 meter.