Multi-stage spontaneous symmetry breaking of light in Kerr ring resonators

• DOI: 10.1038/s42005-023-01329-3
• Publication Date: 2023-08-09T14:01:58Z
• Authors: Lewis Hill; Gian-Luca Oppo; Pascal Del’Haye
• Keywords: Circulator

Abstract Symmetry breaking of light states is interest for the understanding nonlinear optics, photonic circuits, telecom applications and optical pulse generation. Here we demonstrate multi-stage symmetry resonances ring resonators with Kerr nonlinearity. This naturally occurs in a resonator bidirectionally propagating orthogonal polarization components. The derived model used to theoretically describe system shows that four circulating field components can display full symmetry, asymmetry, multiple versions partial are later shown result complex oscillatory dynamics - such as four-field self-switching, unusual pulsing extended delays between subsequent peaks. To highlight few examples, our work has application development devices like isolators circulators, logic gates, random numbers generators, could also be optical-sensors, e.g. by further enhancing Sagnac effect.