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Resonant Detection Of Nano To Microscopic Objects Using Whispering Gallery Modes, Frank Vollmer
Resonant Detection Of Nano To Microscopic Objects Using Whispering Gallery Modes, Frank Vollmer
Student Theses and Dissertations
A micron sized glass sphere is able to confine light to its interior volume. The trapped light describes an orbital trajectory circumnavigating just below the microsphere surface. Whenever the light ray tries to escape it is sent back on its circular path by total internal reflection. The light orbit closes in on itself several thousand times and thus creates an optical resonance. The unprecedented narrow linewidth of such a microsphere resonance (Q factors of up to 3 x 10 ) allows precise measurement of its frequency. Dielectric microspheres of very high Q are thus the ideal choice for a resonant …