title: Tracking spatial modes in nearly hemispherical microcavities.
abstract: We measure experimentally the spatial intensity profiles and resonant frequencies of the transverse modes of nearly hemispherical microcavities with cavity length and mirror curvatures below 10 microm. These resonators possess axially symmetric Gauss-Laguerre-like modes, but do not display the frequency degeneracies typical of large-scale optical cavities. It is possible to interpret these results using a paraxial model of cavity propagation that includes nonparabolic optical elements.
authors.affiliation: School of Physics and Astronomy, University of Southampton, England. rpennington@phys.soton.ac.uk
authors.forename: R C
authors.initials: RC
authors.lastname: Pennington
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: D'Alessandro
authors.forename: J J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Baumberg
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kaczmarek