Asymmetric whispering gallery mode resonator

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12326518-B2
Application number	US-202217892383-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 22, 2022
Priority date	Sep 30, 2019
Publication date	Jun 10, 2025
Grant date	Jun 10, 2025

Abstract

An asymmetric whispering gallery mode resonator device is described. The resonator device includes an asymmetric whispering gallery mode resonator disk (e.g., transparent material, electrooptic material). The resonator disk includes an axial surface along a perimeter of the resonator disk, a top surface, and a bottom surface. A first midplane passes through the axial surface dividing the axial surface into symmetrical halves. The top surface and the bottom surface are substantially parallel, and a second midplane is substantially equidistant between the top surface and the bottom surface. The first midplane and the second midplane are non-coextensive. The asymmetric whispering gallery mode resonator disk can further include a first chamfered edge between the top surface and the axial surface, and a second chamfered edge between the bottom surface and the axial surface. Moreover, the resonator device includes a first electrode on the top surface and a second electrode on the bottom surface.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A resonator device, comprising:
an asymmetric whispering gallery mode resonator disk formed of a transparent material, the asymmetric whispering gallery mode resonator disk comprising:
an axial surface along a perimeter of the whispering gallery mode resonator disk;
a top surface;
a bottom surface substantially parallel to the top surface;
a first chamfered edge between the top surface and the axial surface, the first chamfered edge having a first width between the top surface and the axial surface; and
a second chamfered edge between the bottom surface and the axial surface, the second chamfered edge having a second width between the bottom surface and the axial surface, wherein the second width of the second chamfered edge differs from the first width of the first chamfered edge;

a first electrode on the top surface of the asymmetric whispering gallery mode resonator disk; and
a second electrode on the bottom surface of the asymmetric whispering gallery mode resonator disk.

2. The resonator device of claim 1 , wherein the first width of the first chamfered edge is greater than the second width of the second chamfered edge.

3. The resonator device of claim 1 , wherein:
a midplane passes through the axial surface dividing the axial surface into symmetrical halves; and
the midplane is shifted towards one of the top surface or the bottom surface such that a first distance between the midplane and the top surface differs from a second distance between the midplane and the bottom surface.

4. The resonator device of claim 3 , wherein the resonator device supports a fundamental mode located in the midplane.

5. The resonator device of claim 1 , wherein a first angle of the first chamfered edge relative to the axial surface is in a range between 20 and 45 degrees, and a second angle of the second chamfered edge relative to the axial surface is in a range between 20 and 45 degrees.

6. The resonator device of claim 5 , wherein the first angle of the first chamfered edge relative to the axial surface differs from the second angle of the second chamfered edge relative to the axial surface.

7. The resonator device of claim 5 , wherein the first angle of the first chamfered edge relative to the axial surface is substantially similar to the second angle of the second chamfered edge relative to the axial surface.

8. The resonator device of claim 1 , wherein the axial surface, the first chamfered edge, and the second chamfered edge are polished.

9. The resonator device of claim 1 , wherein the axial surface is polished, and wherein the first chamfered edge and the second chamfered edge are unpolished.

10. The resonator device of claim 1 , wherein the transparent material is an electrooptic material, and the asymmetric whispering gallery mode resonator disk is formed of the electrooptic material.

11. The resonator device of claim 1 , wherein:
a thickness of the asymmetric whispering gallery mode resonator disk is in a range between 40 and 60 micrometers; and
a diameter of the asymmetric whispering gallery mode resonator disk is in a range between 1.2 and 1.4 millimeters.

12. The resonator device of claim 1 , wherein the axial surface, the first chamfered edge, and the second chamfered edge form a convex side structure of the asymmetric whispering gallery mode resonator disk.

13. A lidar sensor system, comprising:
a laser;
an optical coupler that is coupled to the laser; and
an asymmetric whispering gallery mode resonator device that is coupled to the optical coupler, the asymmetric whispering gallery mode resonator device comprising a resonator disk formed of an electrooptic material, the resonator disk comprising:
an axial surface along a perimeter of the resonator disk, the axial surface being polished;
a top surface;
a bottom surface substantially parallel to the top surface;
a first chamfered edge between the top surface and the axial surface, the first chamfered edge being unpolished; and
a second chamfered edge between the bottom surface and the axial surface, the second chamfered edge being unpolished;
wherein the axial surface, the first chamfered edge, and the second chamfered edge form a convex side structure of the asymmetric whispering gallery mode resonator disk.

14. The lidar sensor system of claim 13 , the asymmetric whispering gallery mode resonator device further comprising:
a first electrode on the top surface of the resonator disk; and
a second electrode on the bottom surface of the resonator disk.

15. The lidar sensor system of claim 13 , wherein a width of the first chamfered edge differs from a width of the second chamfered edge.

16. The lidar sensor system of claim 13 , wherein:
a midplane passes through the axial surface dividing the axial surface into symmetrical halves; and
the midplane is shifted towards one of the top surface or the bottom surface such that a first distance between the midplane and the top surface differs from a second distance between the midplane and the bottom surface.

17. The lidar sensor system of claim 13 , wherein:
a midplane passes through the axial surface dividing the axial surface into symmetrical halves; and
the midplane and the top surface are tilted relative to each other.

18. The lidar sensor system of claim 13 , wherein:
a midplane passes through the axial surface dividing the axial surface into symmetrical halves; and
the asymmetric whispering gallery mode resonator device supports a fundamental mode located in the midplane.

19. The lidar sensor system of claim 13 , wherein a first angle of the first chamfered edge relative to the axial surface is in a range between 20 and 45 degrees, and a second angle of the second chamfered edge relative to the axial surface is in a range between 20 and 45 degrees.

20. A method of manufacturing an asymmetric whispering gallery mode resonator device, comprising:
providing a first electrode layer on an electrooptic material layer;
providing a second electrode layer on the electrooptic material layer, wherein the first electrode layer and the second electrode layer are on opposite sides of the electrooptic material layer;
forming the asymmetric whispering gallery mode resonator device having a convex side structure from the first electrode layer, the electrooptic material layer, and the second electrode layer, wherein a resonator disk is formed in the electrooptic material layer, the resonator disk comprising:
an axial surface along a perimeter of the resonator disk;
a top surface;
a bottom surface substantially parallel to the top surface;
a first chamfered edge between the top surface and the axial surface, the first chamfered edge having a first width between the top surface and the axial surface; and
a second chamfered edge between the bottom surface and the axial surface, the second chamfered edge having a second width between the bottom surface and the axial surface, wherein the second width of the second chamfered edge differs from the first width of the first chamfered edge;
wherein the axial surface, the first chamfered edge, and the second chamfered edge form the convex side structure; and

polishing at least a portion of the convex side structure of the asymmetric whispering gallery mode resonator device.

Assignees

• Gm Cruise Holdings Llc

Inventors

• Grudinin Ivan
• Ilchenko Vladimir
• Maleki Lutfollah
• Alvarez Sergio

Classifications

• G02F2201/14

  asymmetric · CPC title

• G02F1/0305

  Constructional arrangements (G02F1/0327 - G02F1/05 take precedence) · CPC title

• G01S17/06

  Systems determining position data of a target · CPC title

• H01S3/0813

  Configuration of resonator · CPC title

• H01S3/082

  defining a plurality of resonators, e.g. for mode selection or suppression · CPC title