Q-factor spoiling of a fused silica microsphere

ORAL

Abstract

When a planar transparent surface if brought close to a microsphere resonator, the induced leakage will result in a decrease of the Q-factor of the resonant modes. We present a systematic study of the Q-factor spoiling on a fused silica microsphere using a tapered optical fiber as a waveguide and a cleaved fiber as a planar surface. The Q-spoiling is measured as function of the distance between the microsphere and the cleaved fiber. Different modes show quite different deterioration rate for the Q-value as a function of sphere-fiber distance. This Q-decay rate is directly related to the evanescent nature of the cavity modes.

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Authors

  • Pablo Bianucci

  • John Robertson

  • A. Muller

    • University of Texas at Austin, Dept. of Physics
    • University of Texas at Austin

  • Chih-Kang Shih

    • University of Texas at Austin, Dept. of Physics
    • Department of Physics, the University of Texas at Austin
    • UT at Austin Dept. of Physics
    • The University of Texas at Austin
    • Department of Physics, the University of Texas at Austin, Austin TX 78712
    • Physics Department, University of Texas
    • The Univ. of Texas at Austin, Dept. of Physics