Understanding and Controlling Mode Hybridization in Multicavity Optical Resonators Using Quantum Theory and the...

Area of Science:

• Quantum optics
• Condensed matter physics
• Nanophotonics

Background:

• Optical fields in metal-dielectric multilayers exhibit quantum system characteristics like energy level quantization.
• An isomorphism exists between Helmholtz and Schrödinger wave equations, linking optics and quantum mechanics.

Purpose of the Study:

• To leverage quantum theory for understanding and designing multicavity optical resonators.
• To introduce the surface forces apparatus (SFA) for characterizing mode dispersion and hybridization.

Main Methods:

• Fabricated two metal-dielectric-metal microcavities on glass lenses.
• Used the SFA to control the fluid gap thickness between cavities with nanometer accuracy.
• Created a tunable three-cavity resonator system.

Main Results:

• Observed complex resonance splitting patterns as a function of variable fluid thickness.
• Emulated a quantum particle in a three-square-well potential using optical waves.
• Demonstrated 3-fold splitting of energy levels due to hybridization, analogous to molecular orbitals.

Conclusions:

• Experimental results align with quantum mechanics formalisms, including symmetry operators and the variational method.
• The interaction between cavities produced bonding, antibonding, and nonbonding states.
• Findings are relevant for designing "epsilon-near-zero" (ENZ) devices.