Controlling normal incident optical waves with an integrated resonator

Abstract

We show a diffraction-based coupling scheme that allows a micro-resonator to directly manipulate a free-space optical beam at normal incidence. We demonstrate a high-Q micro-gear resonator with a 1.57-um radius whose vertical transmission and reflection change 40% over a wavelength range of only 0.3 nm. Without the need to be attached to a waveguide, a dense 2D array of such resonators can be integrated on a chip for spatial light modulation and parallel bio-sensing.