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A Kerr polarization controller
N Moroney1,2, L Del Bino1, S Zhang1
1Max Planck Institute for the Science of Light, 91058, Erlangen, Germany.
Nature Communications
|January 20, 2022
Summary
The Kerr effect in a Fabry-Pérot resonator controls continuous wave laser polarization. Optical power converts linearly polarized light to circular polarization via symmetry breaking.
Area of Science:
- Nonlinear optics
- Quantum optics
- Laser physics
Background:
- Kerr effect causes polarization changes in pulsed lasers, crucial for mode-locked systems.
- Nonlinear polarization rotation is a key phenomenon in laser operation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To demonstrate Kerr effect-based polarization control in a continuous wave laser using a Fabry-Pérot resonator.
- To investigate the mechanism of Kerr-nonlinearity induced symmetry breaking for polarization manipulation.
Main Methods:
- Utilizing a high-finesse Fabry-Pérot resonator with a Kerr medium.
- Applying a continuous wave laser with controlled optical power.
- Analyzing the output polarization state transformation.
Main Results:
- Demonstrated all-optical polarization control of a continuous wave laser.
- Converted linearly polarized light to left- or right-circularly polarized light, controlled by optical power.
- Observed symmetry breaking splitting resonance frequencies of degenerate modes.
Conclusions:
- Kerr effect in high-Q resonators enables efficient all-optical polarization control.
- The principle is applicable to photonic integrated circuits for polarization filters and sensors.
- Spontaneous symmetry breaking of polarization states offers novel functionalities.
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