Optical limiters based on PT-symmetry breaking of reflectionless modes

Leonardo Salvini; Francesco Riboli; Rodion Kononchuk; Federico Tommasi; Alice Boschetti; Suwun Suwunnarat; Igor Anisimov; Ilya Vitebskiy; Diederik S. Wiersma; Stefano Cavalieri; Tsampikos Kottos; Andrey A. Chabanov

doi:10.1117/12.3027897

30 September 2024 Optical limiters based on PT-symmetry breaking of reflectionless modes

Leonardo Salvini, Francesco Riboli, Rodion Kononchuk, Federico Tommasi, Alice Boschetti, Suwun Suwunnarat, Igor Anisimov, Ilya Vitebskiy, Diederik S. Wiersma, Stefano Cavalieri, Tsampikos Kottos, Andrey A. Chabanov

Author Affiliations +

Proceedings Volume 13140, Photonic Fiber and Crystal Devices: Advances in Materials and Innovations in Device Applications XVIII; 1314003 (2024) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.3027897
Event: Optical Engineering + Applications, 2024, San Diego, California, United States

Abstract

We have developed a new method for optical limiting using a system of coupled optical cavities with a PTsymmetric spectrum of reflectionless modes. The optical limiting occurs when the PT symmetry is broken due to the thermo-optic effect in one of the cavities. In our experiment, we used a two-cavity resonator with PT-symmetric spectral degeneracy of reflectionless modes created from alternating layers of cryolite and ZnS. We demonstrated optical limiting by measuring a single 532-nm 6-ns laser pulse. Our experimental results are supported by thermo-optical simulations, which provide deeper insight into the dynamics of the limiting process. Compared to existing limiter designs, our optical limiter offers a customizable limiting threshold, high damage threshold, nanosecond activation time, and broadband laser protection. Additionally, we have shown a method to achieve an even broader transmission spectral bandwidth by implementing this concept in a four-cavity resonator with greater coupling strength using similar materials.

Conference Presentation

Citation Download Citation

Leonardo Salvini, Francesco Riboli, Rodion Kononchuk, Federico Tommasi, Alice Boschetti, Suwun Suwunnarat, Igor Anisimov, Ilya Vitebskiy, Diederik S. Wiersma, Stefano Cavalieri, Tsampikos Kottos, and Andrey A. Chabanov "Optical limiters based on PT-symmetry breaking of reflectionless modes", Proc. SPIE 13140, Photonic Fiber and Crystal Devices: Advances in Materials and Innovations in Device Applications XVIII, 1314003 (30 September 2024); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.3027897

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