2002/03/21 by Jens U. Nockel, A. D. Stone
Physics and Astronomy · #physics.optics #physics.class-ph
published as Optical Processes in Microcavities, edited by R.K.Chang and A.J.Campillo (World Scientific Publishers, 1996) · This should have been archived long ago
arxiv created 2002/03/21 · arxiv updated 2009/12/01
Spherical and cylindrical dielectric cavities support high Q whispering gallery modes due to total internal reflection of the trapped light. When such a cavity is deformed smoothly the ray dynamics of these modes becomes chaotic in a manner determined by the KAM theory of classical hamiltonian dynamics. The universal properties of the ray dynamics predicted by KAM theory allow a general understanding of the whispering gallery modes of such asymmetric resonant cavities (ARCs). This theory combined with simulations of the non-linear map describing the ray motion provides the basis for a ray-optics model of the Q-spoiling of these whispering gallery modes for large deformations (greater than 1% of the radius). The model predicts a sharp onset as a function of deformation for significant Q-spoiling of these modes and highly directional emission above this threshold. Solution of the wave equation for typical whispering gallery modes confirms the qualitative behavior predicted by the ray-optics model even when the cavity is only a few times the resonant wavelength. The model explains for the first time the lasing intensity profile of highly deformed lasing droplets.