US5231533A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Nonlinear optical element and uses thereof
Assignee: JSR Corp
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Filing: 1992-02-13
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Granted: 1993-07-27
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Expires: 2012-02-13
Abstract
Abstract The nonlinear optical element includes a sunstrate and one or more transparent microspheres made of a nonlinear optical active substance system fixed to the substrate, or the nonlinear optical element includes one or more transparent microspheres contacting a solid medium and fixed to the substrate. The element can be used for controlling nonlinear optical characteristics such as light amplification, optical switching, injection mode locking, and coupling of whispering gallery modes.
Inventors
- 👤 Makoto Gonokami
- 👤 Kenji Takeda
- 👤 Eiichi Hanamura
- 👤 Yoshinori Tokura
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-09 07:47
CPC Classifications
G; G02; G02F; G02F1/00; G02F1/35; G02F1/355; G02F1/01; G02F1/0126; G02F1/353; G02F1/3536; G02F1/3538; H; H01; H01S; H01S3/00; H01S3/10; H01S3/10084; H01S3/10092; H01S3/14; H01S3/16; H01S3/168
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 34
Claim 1
Independent Claim
116 words
A nonlinear optical element based on photoconfinement effect in a microspherical cavity, comprising: (a) a substrate; (b) at least one transparent microsphere having a particle diameter of 1 to 200 μm suitable for establishing whispering gallery mode, the at least one transparent microsphere having a surface and fixed to said substrate; (c) at least one nonlinear optical active region associated with said at least one transparent microsphere; and (d) at least one light reflection region associated with said at least one transparent microsphere, the at least one light reflection region having an interface and at least a part of the at least one interface being common with the surface of said at least one transparent microsphere.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
116 words
A nonlinear optical element based on photoconfinement effect in a microspherical cavity, comprising: (a) a substrate; (b) at least one transparent microsphere having a particle diameter of 1 to 200 μm suitable for establishing whispering gallery mode, the at least one transparent microsphere having a surface and fixed to said substrate; (c) at least one nonlinear optical active region associated with said at least one transparent microsphere; and (d) at least one light reflection region associated with said at least one transparent microsphere, the at least one light reflection region having an interface and at least a part of the at least one interface being common with the surface of said at least one transparent microsphere.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
40 words
A nonlinear optical element as claimed in claim 1, wherein said nonlinear optical active region is in said at least one transparent microsphere, and wherein said at least one transparent microsphere is made of a nonlinear optical active substance system.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
32 words
A nonlinear optical element as claimed in claim 2, wherein said nonlinear optical element further comprises a solid medium, through which said at least one transparent microsphere is fixed to said substrate.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
22 words
A nonlinear optical element as claimed in claim 3, wherein said solid medium has arranged therein said at least one transparent microsphere.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
22 words
A nonlinear optical element as claimed in claim 4, wherein said solid medium has a plurality of said transparent microspheres arranged unidimensionally.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
22 words
A nonlinear optical element as claimed in claim 4, wherein said solid medium has a plurality of said transparent microspheres arranged two-dimensionally.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
22 words
A nonlinear optical element as claimed in claim 4, wherein said solid medium has a plurality of said transparent microspheres arranged three-dimensionally.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
30 words
A nonlinear optical element as claimed in claim 2, wherein said nonlinear optical element has a plurality of said transparent microspheres optically connected through an optical medium one to another.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
58 words
A nonlinear optical element as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a solid medium, wherein said nonlinear optical active region is occupied by said solid medium, and wherein said solid medium is made of a nonlinear optical active substance system, said solid medium contacting at least a part of the surface of said at least one transparent microsphere.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
20 words
A nonlinear optical element as claimed in claim 9, wherein said solid medium contains said at least one transparent microsphere.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
22 words
A nonlinear optical element as claimed in claim 10, wherein said solid medium contains a plurality of said transparent microspheres arranged unidimensionally.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
22 words
A nonlinear optical element as claimed in claim 10, wherein said solid medium contains a plurality of said transparent microspheres arranged two-dimensionally.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
22 words
A nonlinear optical element as claimed in claim 10, wherein said solid medium contains a plurality of said transparent microspheres arranged three-dimensionally.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
28 words
A nonlinear optical element as claimed in claim 9, wherein said nonlinear optical active region is a shell-like layer covering the surface of said transparent microsphere concentrically thereto.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
31 words
A nonlinear optical element as claimed in claim 1, wherein said at least one nonlinear optical active region has a third-order harmonic nonlinear optical coefficient χ.sup.(3) of 10.sup.(-13) esu or more.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
25 words
A nonlinear optical element as claimed in claim 15, wherein said at least one transparent microsphere has a particle diameter of 10 to 100 μm.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
138 words
A nonlinear optical system based on photoconfinement effect in a microspherical cavity, comprising: (1) an excitation beam source; and (2) a nonlinear optical element optically connected to said excitation beam source, said nonlinear optical element comprising: (a) a substrate; (b) at least one transparent microsphere having a particle diameter of 1 to 200 μsuitable for establishing whispering gallery mode, the at least one transparent microsphere having a surface and fixed to said substrate; (c) at least one nonlinear optical active region associated with said at least one transparent microsphere; and (d) at least one light reflection region associated with said at least one transparent microsphere, the at least one light reflection region having an interface and at least a part of the at least one interface being common with the surface of said at least one transparent microsphere.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
138 words
A nonlinear optical system based on photoconfinement effect in a microspherical cavity, comprising: (1) an excitation beam source; and (2) a nonlinear optical element optically connected to said excitation beam source, said nonlinear optical element comprising: (a) a substrate; (b) at least one transparent microsphere having a particle diameter of 1 to 200 μsuitable for establishing whispering gallery mode, the at least one transparent microsphere having a surface and fixed to said substrate; (c) at least one nonlinear optical active region associated with said at least one transparent microsphere; and (d) at least one light reflection region associated with said at least one transparent microsphere, the at least one light reflection region having an interface and at least a part of the at least one interface being common with the surface of said at least one transparent microsphere.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
23 words
A nonlinear optical system as claimed in claim 17, further comprising: (3) a control beam source optically connected to said nonlinear optical element.
Claim 21
Independent Claim
201 words
A method of amplifying a light, comprising the steps of: (1) providing an excitation beam source, and a nonlinear optical element based on photoconfinement effect in a microspherical cavity, and optically connected to said excitation beam source, said nonlinear optical element comprising: (a) a substrate; (b) at least one transparent microsphere having a particle diameter of 1 to 200 μm suitable for establishing whispering gallery mode, the at least one transparent microsphere having a surface and fixed to said substrate; (c) at least one nonlinear optical active region associated with said at least one transparent microsphere; and (d) at least one light reflection region associated with said at least one transparent microsphere, the at least one light reflection region having an interface and at least a part of the at least one interface being common with the surface of said at least one transparent microsphere; (2) irradiating an excitation beam from said excitation beam source to said nonlinear optical element to introduce said excitation beam into said at least one nonlinear optical active region to emit a beam in the at least one nonlinear optical active region; and (3) repeatedly reflecting said beam in the at least one light reflection region.
Claim 22
Independent Claim
201 words
A method of amplifying a light, comprising the steps of: (1) providing an excitation beam source, and a nonlinear optical element based on photoconfinement effect in a microspherical cavity, and optically connected to said excitation beam source, said nonlinear optical element comprising: (a) a substrate; (b) at least one transparent microsphere having a particle diameter of 1 to 200 μm suitable for establishing whispering gallery mode, the at least one transparent microsphere having a surface and fixed to said substrate; (c) at least one nonlinear optical active region associated with said at least one transparent microsphere; and (d) at least one light reflection region associated with said at least one transparent microsphere, the at least one light reflection region having an interface and at least a part of the at least one interface being common with the surface of said at least one transparent microsphere; (2) irradiating an excitation beam from said excitation beam source to said nonlinear optical element to introduce said excitation beam into said at least one nonlinear optical active region to emit a beam in the at least one nonlinear optical active region; and (3) repeatedly reflecting said beam in the at least one light reflection region.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
27 words
A method of amplifying light as claimed in claim 19, wherein said at least one nonlinear optical active region is outside said at least one transparent microsphere.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
28 words
A method of amplifying light as claimed in claim 19, said at least one nonlinear optical active region is common with said at least one light reflection region.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
22 words
A method of amplifying light as claimed in claim 21, wherein said common region is inside said at least on transparent microsphere.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
31 words
A method of amplifying light as claimed in claim 21, wherein said common region is a shell-like layer provided on the surface of said at least one transparent microsphere concentric thereto.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
55 words
A method of amplifying light as claimed in claim 19, further comprising the step of: (4) irradiating, to said at least one nonlinear optical region, a control beam with a specified wavelength in a wavelength region equivalent to that of said beam, thereby enhancing the light emission intensity of said at least one transparent microsphere.
Claim 28
Independent Claim
267 words
A method of injection mode locking, comprising the steps of: (1) providing an excitation beam source, and a nonlinear optical element based on photoconfinement effect in a microspherical cavity, and optically connected to said excitation beam source, said nonlinear optical element comprising: (a) a substrate; (b) at least one transparent microsphere having a particle diameter of 1 to 200 μm suitable for establishing whispering gallery mode, the at least one transparent microsphere having a surface and fixed to said substrate; (c) at least one nonlinear optical active region associated with said at least one transparent microsphere; and (d) at least one light reflection region associated with said at least one transparent microsphere, the at least one light reflection region having an interface and at least a part of the at least one interface being common with the surface of said at least one transparent microsphere; (2) irradiating an excitation beam from said excitation beam source to said nonlinear optical element to introduce said excitation beam into said at least one nonlinear optical active region to emit a beam in the at least one nonlinear optical active region; (3) repeatedly reflecting said beam in said at least one light reflection region to cause a laser emission; and (4) irradiating, to said at least one nonlinear optical region, a control beam in a monitoring mode with a specified wavelength in a wavelength region equivalent to that of said laser beam, thereby enhancing the laser emission intensity of said at least one transparent microsphere to cause injection mode locking at an order number equivalent to that of said monitoring mode.
Claim 29
Independent Claim
267 words
A method of injection mode locking, comprising the steps of: (1) providing an excitation beam source, and a nonlinear optical element based on photoconfinement effect in a microspherical cavity, and optically connected to said excitation beam source, said nonlinear optical element comprising: (a) a substrate; (b) at least one transparent microsphere having a particle diameter of 1 to 200 μm suitable for establishing whispering gallery mode, the at least one transparent microsphere having a surface and fixed to said substrate; (c) at least one nonlinear optical active region associated with said at least one transparent microsphere; and (d) at least one light reflection region associated with said at least one transparent microsphere, the at least one light reflection region having an interface and at least a part of the at least one interface being common with the surface of said at least one transparent microsphere; (2) irradiating an excitation beam from said excitation beam source to said nonlinear optical element to introduce said excitation beam into said at least one nonlinear optical active region to emit a beam in the at least one nonlinear optical active region; (3) repeatedly reflecting said beam in said at least one light reflection region to cause a laser emission; and (4) irradiating, to said at least one nonlinear optical region, a control beam in a monitoring mode with a specified wavelength in a wavelength region equivalent to that of said laser beam, thereby enhancing the laser emission intensity of said at least one transparent microsphere to cause injection mode locking at an order number equivalent to that of said monitoring mode.
Claim 30
Independent Claim
274 words
A method of optical switching, comprising the steps of: (1) providing an excitation beam source, and a nonlinear optical element based on photoconfinement effect in a microspherical cavity, and optically connected to said excitation beam source, said nonlinear optical element comprising: (a) a substrate; (b) at least one transparent microsphere having a particle diameter of 1 to 200 μm suitable for establishing whispering gallery mode, the at least one transparent microsphere having a surface and fixed to said substrate; (c) at least one nonlinear optical active region associated with said at least one transparent microsphere; and (d) at least one light reflection region associated with said at least one transparent microsphere, the at least one light reflection region having an interface and at least a part of the at least one interface being common with the surface of said at least one transparent microsphere; (2) irradiating an excitation beam from said excitation beam source to said nonlinear optical element to introduce said excitation beam into said at least one nonlinear optical active region to emit a beam in the at least one nonlinear optical active region; (3) repeatedly reflecting said beam in said at least one light reflection region to cause a laser emission; (4) irradiating, to said at least one nonlinear optical region, a control beam in a monitoring mode with a specified wavelength in a wavelength region equivalent to that of said laser beam, thereby enhancing the laser emission intensity of said at least one transparent microsphere to cause injection mode locking at an order number equivalent to that of said monitoring mode; and (5) rendering said control beam on or off.
Claim 31
Independent Claim
274 words
A method of optical switching, comprising the steps of: (1) providing an excitation beam source, and a nonlinear optical element based on photoconfinement effect in a microspherical cavity, and optically connected to said excitation beam source, said nonlinear optical element comprising: (a) a substrate; (b) at least one transparent microsphere having a particle diameter of 1 to 200 μm suitable for establishing whispering gallery mode, the at least one transparent microsphere having a surface and fixed to said substrate; (c) at least one nonlinear optical active region associated with said at least one transparent microsphere; and (d) at least one light reflection region associated with said at least one transparent microsphere, the at least one light reflection region having an interface and at least a part of the at least one interface being common with the surface of said at least one transparent microsphere; (2) irradiating an excitation beam from said excitation beam source to said nonlinear optical element to introduce said excitation beam into said at least one nonlinear optical active region to emit a beam in the at least one nonlinear optical active region; (3) repeatedly reflecting said beam in said at least one light reflection region to cause a laser emission; (4) irradiating, to said at least one nonlinear optical region, a control beam in a monitoring mode with a specified wavelength in a wavelength region equivalent to that of said laser beam, thereby enhancing the laser emission intensity of said at least one transparent microsphere to cause injection mode locking at an order number equivalent to that of said monitoring mode; and (5) rendering said control beam on or off.
Claim 32
Independent Claim
190 words
A method of coupling whispering gallery modes, comprising the steps of: (1) providing an excitation beam source, and a nonlinear optical element based on photoconfinement effect in a microspherical cavity, and optically connected to said excitation beam source, said nonlinear optical element comprising: (a) a substrate; (b) a plurality of transparent microsphere each having a particle diameter of 1 to 200 μm suitable for establishing whispering gallery mode and each having a surface and fixed to said substrate; (c) at least one nonlinear optical active region associated with said at least one transparent microsphere; and (d) a plurality of light reflection regions associated with said plurality of transparent microspheres, each of said plurality of light reflection regions having an interface, at least a part of each of said interface being common with the surface of each of said transparent microspheres; (2) irradiating an excitation beam from said excitation beam source to said nonlinear optical element to introduce said excitation beam into said at least one nonlinear optical active region to produce at least one beam; and (3) repeatedly reflecting said at least one beam in said light reflection regions, respectively.
Claim 33
Independent Claim
190 words
A method of coupling whispering gallery modes, comprising the steps of: (1) providing an excitation beam source, and a nonlinear optical element based on photoconfinement effect in a microspherical cavity, and optically connected to said excitation beam source, said nonlinear optical element comprising: (a) a substrate; (b) a plurality of transparent microsphere each having a particle diameter of 1 to 200 μm suitable for establishing whispering gallery mode and each having a surface and fixed to said substrate; (c) at least one nonlinear optical active region associated with said at least one transparent microsphere; and (d) a plurality of light reflection regions associated with said plurality of transparent microspheres, each of said plurality of light reflection regions having an interface, at least a part of each of said interface being common with the surface of each of said transparent microspheres; (2) irradiating an excitation beam from said excitation beam source to said nonlinear optical element to introduce said excitation beam into said at least one nonlinear optical active region to produce at least one beam; and (3) repeatedly reflecting said at least one beam in said light reflection regions, respectively.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
53 words
A method of coupling whispering gallery modes as claimed in claim 27, further comprising the step of: (4) irradiating, to said at least one nonlinear optical active region, a control beam with a specified wavelength equivalent to that characteristic to one of said plurality of transparent microspheres, thereby controlling said whispering gallery modes.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1996-07-26 | 1997-01-25 | 1997-07-27 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2000-07-26 | 2001-01-25 | 2001-07-27 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2004-07-26 | 2005-01-25 | 2005-07-27 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |