Predicting Quality Factors and Lasing Emission from Optical Cavities based on Regular-to-Chaotic Tunneling Rays

• Applicant: Dr. Normann Mertig
• Subject Area: Statistical Physics, Nonlinear Dynamics, Complex Systems, Soft and Fluid Matter, Biological Physics ; Optics, Quantum Optics and Physics of Atoms, Molecules and Plasmas
• Term: from 2015 to 2017
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 275840673

The design of optical microcavities with directional lasing emission based on the knowledge of classical ray dynamics has lead to a rich variety of optical resonator shapes used in technological applications. In particular cavity shapes featuring entirely regular or entirely chaotic dynamics have excessively beenexplored. However, typical cavities have a mixed phase space in which rays of regular and chaotic motion coexist. As demonstrated by first experiments lasing in such cavities is due to modes localizing along regular rays. On the other hand, the lasing emission of these modes is determined by dynamical tunneling of light from regular towards chaotic rays. In particular this regular-to-chaotic tunneling process determines the experimentally relevant quality factors as well as the far-field patterns of the lasing emission. Here, we aim at deriving a semiclassical ray-based prediction of quality factors and lasing emission. In particular, this ray-based picture should reveal the role of regular-to-chaotic tunneling for lasing emission. Furthermore, this should facilitate the design of optical cavities with directional lasing emission.

• DFG Programme: Research Fellowships
• International Connection: Japan
• Hosts: Professor Dr. Takahisa Harayama; Professor Dr. Akira Shudo