Optical Science and Engineering ETDs

Publication Date

Summer 7-15-2020

Abstract

Resonators and oscillators are key elements in a wide variety of natural and manmade systems. As such understanding and exploiting their dynamics both as isolated devices and members of coupled systems has been the subject of intensive investigation for more than a century. The advent of optomechanical resonators (OMRs) that support strong coupling between optical and mechanical modes resulting in self-sustained optomechanical oscillations, has created new opportunities for device development and implementation of coupled oscillatory systems. One aspect of this thesis is focused on exploring some of the unique features of OMRs and optomechanical oscillators (OMOs) that can be exploited for efficient acousto-optical transduction and signal processing in the context of underwater communication and sensing. Another aspect is related to interaction of OMOs with other types of oscillators and the behavior of the resulting oscillatory systems as well as closely related heterogenous oscillatory systems.

Notable achievements and results discussed in this dissertation include: 1) Demonstrating a new and practical method for stabilizing an OMO; 2) First demonstration of injection locking of an OMO via acoustic waves; 3) Studying the performance of optomechanical resonator as an acousto-optical receiver with optomechanical gain; 4) First demonstration of OMO functioning as a local oscillator and mixer in an acousto-optical underwater communication link; 5) Theoretical and experimental study of cluster synchronization in a multilayer network of Colpitts oscillators; 6) Theoretical study of the dynamics of a heterogeneous coupled oscillatory system comprising an optoelectronic oscillator and an OMO; 7) Experimental observations of synchronization between an optoelectronic and a Colpitts oscillator both in periodical oscillatory and chaotic regimes; 8) Application of homogeneous and heterogeneous oscillatory systems in sensing and detection.

Degree Name

Optical Science and Engineering

Level of Degree

Doctoral

Department Name

Optical Science and Engineering

First Committee Member (Chair)

Mani Hossein-Zadeh

Second Committee Member

Francesco Sorrentino

Third Committee Member

Arash Mafi

Fourth Committee Member

Daniel Feezell

Keywords

Optomechanics; Microcavity; Oscillator; Sensor; Microtoroid; Mutual coupling

Sponsors

National Science Foundation

Document Type

Thesis

Language

English

Download

Share

COinS