title: Chalcogenide glass microspheres; their production, characterization and potential.
abstract: Micro-resonators have attracted considerable attention as a potential geometry for photonic devices used in multiplexing, memory and switching. These all-optical-resonators allow light at certain wavelengths to build up in intensity allowing nonlinear effects to be seen for much lower input power than in a bulk material. We report here on microspheres made from gallium-lanthanum-sulphide glass. Spheres have been produced with diameters from less than 1 mum up to 450 microm, and we demonstrate a first measured quality factor of 8x10(4) at 1.55 microm, for a chalcogenide sphere diameter of 100 microm. We also predict an ultimate Q of up to 4x10(10) at 3 microm.
authors: Optoelectronics Research Centre, University of Southampton, Highfield, Southampton, SO17 1BJ, United Kingdom. gre@orc.soton.ac.uk
authors: Gregor R
authors: GR
authors: Elliott
authors: Daniel W
authors: DW
authors: Hewak
authors: G Senthil
authors: GS
authors: Murugan
authors: James S
authors: JS
authors: Wilkinson
mesh_terms: D018011:Chalcogens / Q000737:chemistry*; D003198:Computer Simulation; D017076:Computer-Aided Design; D004867:Equipment Design; D019544:Equipment Failure Analysis; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D005898:Glass / Q000737:chemistry*; D008863:Microspheres; D008956:Models, Chemical; D012031:Refractometry / Q000295:instrumentation*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D014159:Transducers
chemical_list: D018011:Chalcogens