Nonlinear Analysis of Silicon Microdisk Resonators

• Main Author: Slawik, Alexander John
• Language: EN
• Published: Northwestern University 2015
• Subjects: Applied mathematics|Optics
• Online Access: http://pqdtopen.proquest.com/#viewpdf?dispub=3741327

<p> This dissertation addresses the character, control, and application of self-sustained oscillations in two-photon absorption dominated optical cavities. The complex interactions of photons, electrons, and thermal effects are understood to drive these emergent oscillations, with the dynamics captured by a system of ordinary differential equations. First, I explore the dynamics of the model and characterize the emergent optical oscillations as relaxation oscillations of a fast-slow system under certain conditions. Within this framework, I establish the entrainment of the oscillations to periodic forcing, providing an easy mechanism for control. The model is further extended to an opto-mechanical system which can be used as a sensor for atomic force microscopy. Analysis of the system predicts that two-photon absorption based effects can excite the mechanical modes of the sensor and increase the signal to noise ratio of the optical readout.</p>