Nonlinearly enhanced refractive index sensing in coupled optical microresonators

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Abstract

We study the use of nonlinear self-phase modulation (SPM) in coupled optical microresonators for ultrasensitive refractive index sensing. SPM leads to a positive feedback enhancement of the resonance frequency shift caused by a perturbation of the index of refraction in a resonator. Moreover, the use of two resonators coupled through input and output waveguides leads to a further improvement in the sensitivity owing to constructive interference and feedback via the waveguides. For parameters based on Si microresonators, the sensitivity is more than 102 larger than a single resonator without SPM leading to a minimum detectable index change of 1011 RIU with resonator Q-factors of 104. We show that the nonlinearly enhanced system is robust with respect to laser noise when operated at input powers below the onset of bistability.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)26-29
Number of pages4
JournalOptics Letters
Volume39
Issue number1
DOIs
StatePublished - 1 Jan 2014

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