Non-reciprocal devices, such as circulators and isolators, are indispensable components in classical and quantum information processing in an integrated photonic circuit. Aside from those applications, the non-reciprocal phase shift is of fundamental interest for exploring exotic topological photonics, such as the realization of chiral edge states and topological protection. However, incorporating low optical-loss magnetic materials into a photonic chip is technically challenging. In this study, the non-reciprocal transmission in an optomechanical resonator is experimentally demonstrated for the first time. The underlying mechanism of the non-reciprocity demonstrated in this study is actually universal and can be generalized to any traveling wave resonators with a mechanical oscillator, such as the integrated disk-type microresonator coupled with a nanobeam. Considering that higher cooperativity and cascading of the optical devices have been reported in a photonic integrated chip, non-reciprocity in such an microresonator has applications for integrated photonic isolators and circulators, which will play important roles in a hybrid quantum Internet.

Date Published: 21 April 2017
PDF: 1 pages
Proc. SPIE 10090, Laser Resonators, Microresonators, and Beam Control XIX, 100900R (21 April 2017); doi: 10.1117/12.2251739

Published in SPIE Proceedings Vol. 10090:
Laser Resonators, Microresonators, and Beam Control XIX
Alexis V. Kudryashov; Alan H. Paxton; Vladimir S. Ilchenko, Editor(s)