Reconfigurable optomechanical circulator and directional amplifier

Zhen Shen,Yan-Lei Zhang,Guang-Can Guo,Chun-Hua Dong,Chang-Ling Zou,Xu-Bo Zou,Yuan Chen,Fang-Wen Sun

doi:10.1038/s41467-018-04187-8

Abstract

Non-reciprocal devices, which allow non-reciprocal signal routing, serve as fundamental elements in photonic and microwave circuits and are crucial in both classical and quantum information processing. The radiation-pressure-induced coupling between light and mechanical motion in travelling-wave resonators has been exploited to break the Lorentz reciprocity, enabling non-reciprocal devices without magnetic materials. Here, we experimentally demonstrate a reconfigurable non-reciprocal device with alternative functions as either a circulator or a directional amplifier via optomechanically induced coherent photon–phonon conversion or gain. The demonstrated device exhibits considerable flexibility and offers exciting opportunities for combining reconfigurability, non-reciprocity and active properties in single photonic devices, which can also be generalized to microwave and acoustic circuits.

Highlights

Non-reciprocal devices, which allow non-reciprocal signal routing, serve as fundamental elements in photonic and microwave circuits and are crucial in both classical and quantum information processing
Optical isolation based on spatiotemporal modulations and three-wave mixing effects have been developed[12,13,14,15,16,17,18,19,20,21,22], and similar mechanisms have been applied to superconducting microwave circuits[23,24,25,26,27]
The non-reciprocal photonic devices based on optomechanical interactions have been demonstrated in previous studies, they are only limited to two-port isolators

Summary

Introduction

Non-reciprocal devices, which allow non-reciprocal signal routing, serve as fundamental elements in photonic and microwave circuits and are crucial in both classical and quantum information processing. The non-reciprocal photonic devices based on optomechanical interactions have been demonstrated in previous studies, they are only limited to two-port isolators. Via a simple change in the control field, the device performs as an add–drop filter and can be switched to circulator mode or directional amplifier mode.

Results

Conclusion