Critical Dynamics of an Asymmetrically Bidirectionally Pumped Optical Microresonator

TL;DR

This paper models the critical dynamics of an asymmetrically pumped Kerr optical microresonator, revealing universal behaviors at symmetry-breaking points relevant for sensors and gyroscopes.

Contribution

It introduces a comprehensive model for the critical dynamics under asymmetric pumping and nonlinear effects, extending understanding of symmetry breaking in optical resonators.

Findings

Divergent responsivity at critical points

Critical slowing down observed

Scaling invariance in system behavior

Abstract

An optical ring resonator with third-order, or Kerr, nonlinearity will exhibit symmetry breaking between the two counterpropagating circulating powers when pumped with sufficient power in both the clockwise and counterclockwise directions. This is due to the effects of self- and cross-phase modulation on the resonance frequencies in the two directions. The critical point of this symmetry breaking exhibits universal behaviors including divergent responsivity to external perturbations, critical slowing down, and scaling invariance. Here we derive a model for the critical dynamics of this system, first for a symmetrically-pumped resonator and then for the general case of asymmetric pumping conditions and self- and cross-phase modulation coefficients. This theory not only provides a detailed understanding of the dynamical response of critical-point-enhanced optical gyroscopes and near-field sensors, but is also applicable to nonlinear critical points in a wide range of systems.