Abstract

Coupled microresonators of different configurations (coupled resonator optical waveguide – CROW [1], or side-coupled integrated spaced sequence of resonators – SCISSOR [2]) are of interest due to their unique optical characteristics and various potential applications [3]. The building blocks for these coupled systems are high-Q microcavities guiding light in so-called whispering-gallery-modes (WGM) [4]. In combination with the small mode volume these resonators can collect high intensities at rather low levels of coupled light, which reduces the threshold for nonlinear light-matter interaction. In fused silica microresonators thermal nonlinearity has lowest threshold and causes bistable behavior [5].

© 2011 Optical Society of America