Experimental Demonstration of Spontaneous Chirality in a Nonlinear Microresonator

Cao, Qi-Tao; Wang, Heming; Dong, Chun‐Hua; Jing, Hui; Liu, Ruishan; Chen, Xi; Li, Ge; Gong, Qihuang; Xiao, Yun‐Feng

doi:10.1103/physrevlett.118.033901

Cited by 200 publications

(134 citation statements)

References 52 publications

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“…It also plays a prominent role in systems that exhibit discrete symmetries, which are frequently found in optics, such as time-reversal [3,4] and parity-time symmetries [5], as well as the interplay between two types of symmetry breaking [6]. A novel type of discrete symmetry breaking has recently been demonstrated in bidirectionally-pumped whispering-gallery microresonators [7,8]. In this case, the symmetry violation is caused by an instability whereby, above a threshold pump power, a difference between the intracavity powers in the two counter-propagating directions leads to a splitting between their two resonant frequencies via the Kerr nonlinearity.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Universal symmetry-breaking dynamics for the Kerr interaction of counterpropagating light in dielectric ring resonators

et al. 2018

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Spontaneous symmetry breaking is an important concept in many areas of physics. A fundamentally simple symmetry breaking mechanism in electrodynamics occurs between counter-propagating electromagnetic waves in ring resonators, mediated by the Kerr nonlinearity. The interaction of counter-propagating light in bi-directionally pumped microresonators finds application in the realisation of optical non-reciprocity (for optical diodes), studies of PT -symmetric systems, and the generation of counter-propagating solitons. Here, we present comprehensive analytical and dynamical models for the nonlinear Kerr-interaction of counter-propagating light in a dielectric ring resonator. In particular, we study discontinuous behaviour in the onset of spontaneous symmetry breaking, indicating divergent sensitivity to small external perturbations. These results can be applied to realise, for example, highly sensitive near-field or rotation sensors. We then generalise to a time-dependent model, which predicts new types of dynamical behaviour, including oscillatory regimes that could enable Kerr-nonlinearity-driven all-optical oscillators. The physics of our model can be applied to other systems featuring Kerr-type interaction between two distinct modes, such as for light of opposite circular polarisation in nonlinear resonators, which are commonly described by coupled Lugiato-Lefever equations.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Universal symmetry-breaking dynamics for the Kerr interaction of counterpropagating light in dielectric ring resonators

et al. 2018

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“…Nonreciprocal devices, allowing the flow of light from one side but blocking it from the other, are indispensable in a wide range of practical applications, such as invisible sensing or cloaking, and noise-free information processing [1]. To avoid the difficulties of conventional magnet-based devices (e.g., bulky and quite lossy at optical frequencies), nonreciprocal optical devices have been demonstrated in recent experiments based on nonlinear optics [2, 3], optomechanics [4][5][6], atomic gases [7,8], and non-Hermitian optics [9][10][11]. Similar advances have also been achieved in making acoustic and electronic one-way devices [12][13][14][15][16][17].…”

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confidence: 99%

“…By fixing the CCW rotation of the resonator (the angular speed Ω fulfills the condition ∆F = ±U/2), under the same driving power Pin = 2 fW and the same detuning ∆L = −U/2, i.e., k = 1 − ∆L/U = 1.5, (a) 1PB emerges by driving the device from its left side (∆F > 0), while (b) PIT caused by two-photon resonance occurs by driving from the right side (∆F < 0). This PIT exhibits g (µ) (0) > 1 (µ = 2, 3,4) [73].…”

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confidence: 99%

Nonreciprocal Photon Blockade

et al. 2018

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We propose how to create and manipulate one-way nonclassical light via photon blockade in rotating nonlinear devices. We refer to this effect as nonreciprocal photon blockade (PB). Specifically, we show that in a spinning Kerr resonator, PB happens when the resonator is driven in one direction but not the other. This occurs because of the Fizeau drag, leading to a full split of the resonance frequencies of the countercirculating modes. Different types of purely quantum correlations, such as single-and two-photon blockades, can emerge in different directions in a wellcontrolled manner, and the transition from PB to photon-induced tunneling is revealed as well. Our work opens up a new route to achieve quantum nonreciprocal devices, which are crucial elements in chiral quantum technologies or topological photonics.

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“…The conventional optical nonreciprocal devices are proposed by employing magneto-optical effects (Faraday rotation) to break reciprocity, and they have many disadvantages, such as they are bulky and work under large magnetic fields, so that it is a great challenge to implement them on chip. To overcome all these drawbacks, various schemes have been developed to break optical reciprocity without the use of magneto-optical effects, including strategies based on nonlinearity [2][3][4][5][6] and synthetic magnetism [7][8][9][10][11][12].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Nonreciprocity via Nonlinearity and Synthetic Magnetism

et al. 2020

Phys. Rev. Applied

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We propose how to realize nonreciprocity for a weak input optical field via nonlinearity and synthetic magnetism. We show that the photons transmitting from a linear cavity to a nonlinear cavity (i.e., an asymmetric nonlinear optical molecule) exhibit nonreciprocal photon blockade but no clear nonreciprocal transmission. Both nonreciprocal transmission and nonreciprocal photon blockade can be observed, when one or two auxiliary modes are coupled to the asymmetric nonlinear optical molecule to generate an artificial magnetic field. Similar method can be used to create and manipulate nonreciprocal transmission and nonreciprocal photon blockade for photons bi-directionally transport in a symmetric nonlinear optical molecule. Additionally, a photon circulator with nonreciprocal photon blockade is designed based on nonlinearity and synthetic magnetism. The combination of nonlinearity and synthetic magnetism provides us an effective way towards the realization of quantum nonreciprocal devices, e.g., nonreciprocal single-photon sources and single-photon diodes.

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Experimental Demonstration of Spontaneous Chirality in a Nonlinear Microresonator

Cited by 200 publications

References 52 publications

Universal symmetry-breaking dynamics for the Kerr interaction of counterpropagating light in dielectric ring resonators

Universal symmetry-breaking dynamics for the Kerr interaction of counterpropagating light in dielectric ring resonators

Nonreciprocal Photon Blockade

Nonreciprocity via Nonlinearity and Synthetic Magnetism

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