Whispering gallery modes

Whispering gallery modes are specific resonances (or modes) of a wave field that are confined inside a given resonator (cavity) with smooth edges due to continuous total internal reflection. The most interesting from a practical viewpoint are electromagnetic whispering gallery modes, since they posses many unique properties, such as ultra-high Q-factors, low mode volumes, small sizes of resonators supporting them and operation at optical and telecommunication frequencies of light. This combined with the ease of fabrication and on-chip integration of devices using them, makes whispering gallery modes ideally suited for a vast array of applications. In this seminar we will look at some key issues concerning whispering gallery modes and resonators such as: wave theory of whispering gallery modes, resonator performance parameters, resonator geometries, coupling of whispering gallery modes to and from resonators and at some practical applications of whispering gallery modes.