Controlled light distribution with coupled microresonator chains via Kerr symmetry breaking

TL;DR

This paper investigates how Kerr nonlinearity causes symmetry breaking in coupled microresonator chains, leading to controllable light patterns, oscillations, and chaos, with applications in integrated photonics and computing.

Contribution

It introduces a new type of controllable symmetry breaking in coupled resonator chains and explores complex dynamic behaviors beyond stationary states.

Findings

Discovery of controllable symmetry breaking patterns

Observation of oscillations and chaos in circulating powers

Potential applications in photonic circuits and neuromorphic computing

Abstract

Within optical microresonators, the Kerr interaction of photons can lead to symmetry breaking of optical modes. In a ring resonator, this leads to the interesting effect that light preferably circulates in one direction or in one polarization state. Applications of this effect range from chip-integrated optical diodes to nonlinear polarization controllers and optical gyroscopes. In this work, we study Kerr-nonlinearity-induced symmetry breaking of light states in coupled resonator optical waveguides (CROWs). We discover a new type of controllable symmetry breaking that leads to emerging patterns of dark and bright resonators within the chains. Beyond stationary symmetry broken states, we observe periodic oscillations, switching and chaotic fluctuations of circulating powers in the resonators. Our findings are of interest for controlled multiplexing of light in photonic integrated circuits, neuromorphic computing, topological photonics and soliton frequency combs in coupled resonators.