Resonant self-pulsations in coupled nonlinear microcavities

TL;DR

This paper presents a new perspective on self-pulsations in coupled nonlinear microcavities, showing they result from a balance between mode beating and bistable switching, with tunable frequencies based on mode splitting.

Contribution

It introduces a novel understanding of self-pulsations as a balanced state and proposes a multilayered microcavity design analyzed through coupled mode theory.

Findings

Self-pulsations arise from mode beating and bistable switching.

Frequency of self-pulsations can be tuned over a broad range.

Design of multilayered media enhances the phenomenon.

Abstract

A novel point of view on the phenomenon of self-pulsations is presented, which shows that they are a balanced state formed by two counteracting processes: beating of modes and bistable switching. A structure based on two coupled nonlinear microcavities provides a generic example of system with enhanced ability to this phenomenon. The specific design of such structure in the form of multilayered media is proposed, and the coupled mode theory is applied to describe its dynamical properties. It is emphasized that the frequency of self-pulsations is related to the frequency splitting between resonant modes and can be adjusted over a broad range.