OEwaves has pioneered the development of crystalline whispering gallery mode (WGM) optical microresonators, which are key components in many of our products, including high-performance lasers. These millimeter-scale resonators exhibit ultra-high quality factors (Q) and finesse, surpassing the capabilities of traditional bulk or integrated optical resonators. Demonstrated performance includes Q-factors exceeding 10¹¹ and finesse values over 17,500.

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OEwaves fabricates WGM resonators using a range of crystalline materials including calcium fluoride, lithium tantalate, quartz, silicon, and even diamond, chosen to match specific linear and nonlinear application needs. For example, magnesium and calcium fluoride are ideal for generating Kerr frequency combs, while lithium tantalate supports applications requiring electro-optic modulation via refractive index tuning. These resonators also enable advanced functions such as harmonic generation.

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Crystalline WGM resonators offer significant advantages over other resonator technologies, including those built via epitaxial growth on chip. Their ultra-high Q allows for activation of linear and nonlinear phenomena with just a few milliwatts of optical power. Additionally, their larger mode volumes help suppress fundamental quantum noise, an advantage over integrated ring resonators, while also improving modulator sensitivity and reducing the effective Vπ.

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