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