Geometrical optical analysis of a gradient refractive index microresonator.

Abstract

Optical microresonators confine light to small volumes through resonant circulation. Herein, whispering gallery mode (WGM) microresonators have high Q factors among these microresonators, which have significant research value in the fields of fundamental physics research and optoelectronic devices. However, maintaining a very high surface finish on the side of the microresonator is necessary, as is keeping a coupling distance of tens of nanometers between the microresonator and the coupling waveguide. Thus, this makes the fabrication, coupling, and packaging of the microresonator very difficult and seriously hinders the practical application of the microresonator. In this study, the concept of gradient refractive index (GRIN) microresonator is proposed, and the radial GRIN is introduced to change the light direction and form a closed optical path within the microresonator. Herein, the mode field position of the GRIN microresonator is derived from the light transmission equation, and the theoretical result is proved by finite difference time domain (FDTD) simulation. Hence, there are several advantages to using this novel optical microresonator, including its high Q factor, strong coupling stability, and ease of integration.