Whispering Gallery Mode Resonator
Optical resonators form an integral part of lasers and many other photonic devices. With a new type of resonator cavity, researchers hope to combine high quality optics and mechanical systems into one tightly compact package.
This open cavity Whispering Gallery Mode Resonator (WGMR) allows direct access to its internal optical fields and does not require special optical coatings.
By incorporating a mechanical cantilever inside the open cavity, the coupled optomechanical system can be extremely sensitive to displacement and acceleration, which makes it well suited for miniature accelerometers and gyroscopes. The open cavity WGMR scheme could also lead to innovations in inertial sensors, trace gas detection, and laser sources, that are not possible in conventional closed structured WGMRs.
More About Engineered WGM Resonators
Image Credit: David C. Aveline, Quantum Sciences and Technology Group, Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology
A magnified image of an open disc resonator shown with optical couplers.
