title: Q-factor limits for far-field detection of whispering gallery modes in active microspheres.
abstract: This paper investigates the Q-factor limits imposed on the far-field detection of the whispering gallery modes of active microspherical resonators. It is shown that the Q-factor measured for a given active microsphere in the far-field using a microscope is significantly lower than that measured using evanescent field collection through a taper. The discrepancy is attributed to the inevitable small asphericity of microspheres that results in mode-splitting which becomes unresolvable in the far-field. Analytic expressions quantifying the Q-factor limits due to small levels of asphericity are subsequently derived.
authors.forename: Nicolas
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Riesen
authors.forename: Tess
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Reynolds
authors.forename: Alexandre
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: François
authors.forename: Matthew R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Henderson
authors.forename: Tanya M
authors.initials: TM
authors.lastname: Monro