Florian Sedlmeir

Whispering gallery modes at the rim of an axisymmetric optical resonator: Analytical versus numerical description and comparison with experiment

Optical whispering gallery modes (WGMs) of mm-sized axisymmetric resonators are well localized at the equator. Employing this distinctive feature, we obtain simple analytical relations for the frequencies and eigenfunctions of WGMs which include the major radius of the resonator and the curvature radius of the rim. Being compared with results of finite-element simulations, these relations show a high accuracy and practicability. High-precision free-spectral-range measurements with a millimeter-sized disc resonator made of MgF(2) allow us to identify the WGMs and confirm the applicability of our analytical description.

Interfacing transitions of different alkali atoms and telecom bands using one narrowband photon pair source

Quantum information technology strongly relies on coupling of optical photons with narrowband quantum systems, such as quantum dots, color centers, and atomic systems. This coupling requires matching the optical wavelength and bandwidth to the desired system, which presents a considerable problem for most available sources of quantum light. Here we demonstrate coupling of alkali dipole transitions with a tunable source of photon pairs. Our source is based on spontaneous parametric down-conversion in a triply-resonant whispering-gallery mode resonator. For this, we have developed novel wavelength tuning mechanisms, which allow for a coarse tuning to either cesium or rubidium wavelength with subsequent continuous fine-tuning to the desired transition. As a demonstration of the functionality of the source, we performed a heralded single photon measurement of the atomic decay. We present a major advance in controlling the spontaneous down-conversion process, which makes our bright source of single photons now compatible with a plethora of narrow-band resonant systems.

High-Q MgF 2 whispering gallery mode resonators for refractometric sensing in aqueous environment

We present our experiments on refractometric sensing with ultrahigh-Q, crystalline, birefringent magnesium fluoride (MgF₂) whispering gallery mode resonators. The difference to fused silica which is most commonly used for sensing experiments is the small refractive index of MgF₂ which is very close to that of water. Compared to fused silica this leads to more than 50% longer evanescent fields and a 4.25 times larger sensitivity. Moreover the birefringence amplifies the sensitivity difference between TM and TE type modes which will enhance sensing experiments based on difference frequency measurements. We estimate the performance of our resonators and compare them with fused silica theoretically and present experimental data showing the interferometrically measured evanescent field decay and the sensitivity of mm-sized MgF₂ whispering gallery mode resonators immersed in water. These data show reasonable agreement with the developed theory. Furthermore, we observe stable Q factors in water well above 1 × 10⁸.

Identifying modes of large whispering-gallery mode resonators from the spectrum and emission pattern

Identifying the mode numbers in whispering-gallery mode resonators (WGMRs) is important for tailoring them to experimental needs. Here we report on a novel experimental mode analysis technique based on the combination of frequency analysis and far-field imaging for high mode numbers of large WGMRs. The radial mode numbers q and the angular mode numbers p = ℓ-m are identified and labeled via far-field imaging. The polar mode numbers ℓ are determined unambiguously by fitting the frequency differences between individual whispering gallery modes (WGMs). This allows for the accurate determination of the geometry and the refractive index at different temperatures of the WGMR. For future applications in classical and quantum optics, this mode analysis enables one to control the narrow-band phase-matching conditions in nonlinear processes such as second-harmonic generation or parametric down-conversion.

Efficient microwave to optical photon conversion: an electro-optical realization

Alfredo Rueda, Florian Sedlmeir1,2,3,+,∗, Michele C. Collodo, Ulrich Vogl, Birgit Stiller, Gerhard Schunk, Dmitry V. Strekalov, Christoph Marquardt, Johannes M. Fink, Oskar Painter, Gerd Leuchs, and Harald G. L. Schwefel8,∗ Max Planck Institute for the Science of Light, Günther-Scharowsky-Straße 1/Building 24, 90158 Erlangen, Germany Institute for Optics, Information and Photonics, University Erlangen-Nürnberg, Staudtstr. 7/B2, 91058 Erlangen, Germany SAOT, School in Advanced Optical Technologies, Paul-Gordan-Str. 6, 91052 Erlangen, Germany Institute for Quantum Information and Matter and Thomas J. Watson, Sr., Laboratory of Applied Physics, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California 91125, USA currently at: Department of Physics, ETH Zürich, CH-8093 Zurich, Switzerland currently at: Centre for Ultrahigh bandwidth Devices for Optical Systems (CUDOS), School of Physics, University of Sydney, New South Wales 2006, Australia currently at: Institute of Science and Technology Austria, 3400 Klosterneuburg, Austria Department of Physics, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand ∗Corresponding authors: Florian.Sedlmeir@mpl.mpg.de, Harald.Schwefel@otago.ac.nz and these authors contributed equally to this workLinking classical microwave electrical circuits to the optical telecommunication band is at the core of modern communication. Future quantum information networks will require coherent microwave-to-optical conversion to link electronic quantum processors and memories via low-loss optical telecommunication networks. Efficient conversion can be achieved with electro-optical modulators operating at the single microwave photon level. In the standard electro-optic modulation scheme, this is impossible because both up- and down-converted sidebands are necessarily present. Here, we demonstrate true single-sideband up- or down-conversion in a triply resonant whispering gallery mode resonator by explicitly addressing modes with asymmetric free spectral range. Compared to previous experiments, we show a 3 orders of magnitude improvement of the electro-optical conversion efficiency, reaching 0.1% photon number conversion for a 10 GHz microwave tone at 0.42 mW of optical pump power. The presented scheme is fully compatible with existing superconducting 3D circuit quantum electrodynamics technology and can be used for nonclassical state conversion and communication. Our conversion bandwidth is larger than 1 MHz and is not fundamentally limited.

Sub-kHz lasing of a CaF 2 whispering gallery mode resonator stabilized fiber ring laser

We utilize a high quality calcium fluoride whispering-gallery-mode resonator to passively stabilize a simple erbium doped fiber ring laser with an emission frequency of 196THz (wavelength 1530nm) to an instantaneous linewidth below 650Hz. This corresponds to a relative stability of 3.3 × 10(-12) over 16μs. In order to characterize the linewidth we use two identical self-built lasers and a commercial laser to determine the individual lasing linewidth via the three-cornered-hat method. We further show that the lasers are finely tunable throughout the erbium gain region.

Highly efficient generation of single-mode photon pairs from a crystalline whispering-gallery-mode resonator source

We report a highly efficient source of narrow-band photon pairs based on parametric down-conversion in a crystalline whispering gallery mode resonator. Remarkably, each photon of a pair is strictly emitted into a single spatial and temporal mode, as witnessed by Glaubers autocorrelation function. We explore the phase-matching conditions in spherical geometries, and determine the requirements of the single-mode operation. Understanding these conditions has allowed us to experimentally demonstrate a single-mode pair-detection rate of

Dielectric Rod Waveguide Antenna as THz Emitter for Photomixing Devices

0.97 \cdot 10^6

Experimental characterization of an uniaxial angle cut whispering gallery mode resonator.

pairs/s per mW pump power per 20 MHz bandwidth without the need of additional filter cavities.

Polarization-Selective Out-Coupling of Whispering-Gallery Modes

We propose a dielectric rod waveguide antenna (DRW) integrated with a photomixer as a THz emitter. This represents a different approach as opposed to the classical solution of a substrate lens. Main goals are an inexpensive alternative to substrate lenses, reduction of both reflections on the semiconductor-air interface and scattering of terahertz-generated power into the substrate. A radiation pattern measured at 137 GHz is shown as a proof-of-concept. In order to increase radiated power, the improvement of the rod antenna is discussed. Finally, as an application example, evanescent coupling of the DRW into a high index whispering gallery mode resonator is shown.