Harnessing the mode mixing in optical fiber-tip cavities

Abstract

We present a systematic numerical study of Fabry–Pérot optical cavities with Gaussian-shape mirrors formed between tips of optical fibers. Such cavities can be fabricated by laser machining of fiber tips and are promising systems for achieving strong coupling between atomic particles and an optical field as required for quantum information applications. Using a mode mixing matrix method, we analyze the cavity optical eigenmodes and corresponding losses depending on a range of cavity-shape parameters, such as mirror radius of curvature, indentation depth and cavity length. The Gaussian shape of the mirrors causes mixing of optical modes in the cavity. We investigate the effect of the mode mixing on the coherent atom-cavity coupling as well as the mode matching between the cavity and a single-mode optical fiber. While the mode mixing is associated with increased cavity losses, it can also lead to an enhancement of the local optical field. We demonstrate that around the resonance between the fundamental and 2nd order Laguerre–Gaussian modes of the cavity it is possible to obtain 50% enhancement of the atom-cavity coupling at the cavity center while still maintaining low cavity losses and high cavity-fiber optical coupling.