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Updated: Jul 18, 2026
12:18
Microwave Photonics Systems Based on Whispering-gallery-mode Resonators
Published on: August 5, 2013
Parametric oscillations in a whispering gallery resonator.
A A Savchenkov1, A B Matsko, M Mohageg
1Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena 91109-8099, USA.
Optics Letters
|December 23, 2006
Summary
We achieved strong optical parametric oscillations in lithium niobate (LiNbO3) resonators. Geometrical confinement enabled phase matching for this nonlinear optical process.
Area of Science:
- Photonics and Optical Engineering
- Materials Science
- Nonlinear Optics
Background:
- Whispering gallery mode resonators offer high optical confinement.
- Lithium niobate (LiNbO3) is a key material for nonlinear optical applications.
- Optical parametric oscillations (OPOs) are crucial for frequency conversion.
Purpose of the Study:
- To demonstrate nondegenerate optical continuous-wave parametric oscillations.
- To utilize crystalline whispering gallery mode resonators for OPOs.
- To achieve phase matching via geometrical confinement.
Main Methods:
- Fabrication of LiNbO3 crystalline whispering gallery mode resonators.
- Utilizing geometrical confinement to control optical mode propagation.
- Achieving phase matching for parametric oscillation through resonator design.
Main Results:
- Successfully demonstrated strongly nondegenerate optical continuous-wave parametric oscillations.
- Observed efficient frequency conversion within the LiNbO3 resonators.
- Validated the role of geometrical confinement in achieving phase matching.
Conclusions:
- Crystalline whispering gallery mode resonators are effective for nonlinear optical processes.
- Geometrical confinement is a viable method for phase matching in such resonators.
- This work advances the development of compact and efficient optical parametric oscillators.
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