| US 7,515,786 B1 | ||
| White-light whispering gallery mode optical resonator system and method | ||
| Andrey B. Matsko, Pasadena, Calif. (US); Anatoliy A. Savchenkov, Glendale, Calif. (US); and Lute Maleki, Pasadena, Calif. (US) | ||
| Assigned to The United States of America as represented by the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, Washington, D.C. (US) | ||
| Filed on Jul. 21, 2006, as Appl. No. 11/459,109. | ||
| Int. Cl. G02B 6/26 (2006.01); G02B 6/00 (2006.01) | ||
| U.S. Cl. 385—30 [385/13] | 9 Claims |
| 1. An optical resonator system comprising:
an optical resonator, made substantially entirely from CaF2, shaped to support at least one whispering gallery mode and comprising a top surface, a bottom surface, a side wall, and
a first curved transition region extending between the side wall and the top surface; and
a coupler including a coupling surface, wherein the coupling surface defines a first plane and the optical resonator top surface
defines a second plane wherein the first plane and second plane intersect at an acute angle;
wherein the coupling surface of the coupler is arranged to face the transition region of the optical resonator and in the
vicinity thereof such that an evanescent field emitted from the coupler is capable of being coupled into the optical resonator
through the first curved transition region.
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