Multiphysical sensing of light, sound and microwave in a microcavity Brillouin laser
Yang Jianfan,
Qin Tian,
Zhang Fangxing,
Chen Xianfeng,
Jiang Xiaoshun,
Wan Wenjie
Affiliations
Yang Jianfan
The State Key Laboratory of Advanced Optical Communication Systems and Networks, University of Michigan-Shanghai Jiao Tong University Joint Institute, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, 200240, China
Qin Tian
The State Key Laboratory of Advanced Optical Communication Systems and Networks, University of Michigan-Shanghai Jiao Tong University Joint Institute, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, 200240, China
Zhang Fangxing
The State Key Laboratory of Advanced Optical Communication Systems and Networks, University of Michigan-Shanghai Jiao Tong University Joint Institute, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, 200240, China
Chen Xianfeng
MOE Key Laboratory for Laser Plasmas and Collaborative Innovation Center of IFSA, Department of Physics and Astronomy, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, 200240, China
Jiang Xiaoshun
National Laboratory of Solid State Microstructures and College of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Nanjing University, Nanjing, 210093, China
Wan Wenjie
The State Key Laboratory of Advanced Optical Communication Systems and Networks, University of Michigan-Shanghai Jiao Tong University Joint Institute, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, 200240, China
Light, sound, and microwave are important tools for many interdisciplinary applications in a multi-physical environment, and they usually are inefficient to be detected simultaneously in the same physical platform. However, at the microscopic scale, these waves can unexpectedly interact with the same microstructure through resonant enhancement, making it a unique hybrid micro-system for new applications across multiple physical channels. Here we experimentally demonstrate an optomechanical microdevice based on Brillouin lasing operation in an optical microcavity as a sensitive unit to sense external light, sound, and microwave signals in the same platform. These waves can induce modulations to the microcavity Brillouin laser (MBL) in a resonance-enhanced manner through either the pressure forces including radiation pressure force or thermal absorption, allowing several novel applications such as broadband non-photovoltaic detection of light, sound-light wave mixing, and deep-subwavelength microwave imaging. These results pave the way towards on-chip integrable optomechanical solutions for sensing, free-space secure communication, and microwave imaging.
