Turning whispering-gallery-mode responses through Fano interferences in coupled all-dielectric block-disk cavities

Here, we theoretically demonstrate a strategy for efficiently turning whispering-gallery-mode (WGM) responses of a subwavelength dielectric disk through their near-field couplings with common low-order electromagnetic resonances of a dielectric block. Both simulations and an analytical coupled oscillator model show that the couplings are Fano interferences between dark high-quality WGMs and bright modes of the block. The responses of a WGM in the coupled system are highly dependent on the strengths and the relative phases of the block modes, the coupling strength, and the decay rate of the WGM. The WGM responses of coupled systems can exceed that of the individual disk. In addition, such a configuration will also facilitate the excitation of WGMs by a normal incident plane wave in experiments. These results could enable new applications for enhancing light-matter interactions.