Precise and permanent modification of the resonant frequency of a dielectric microcavity and correction of frequency shifts in dielectric coupled-resonator filters

1. A method of modifying the resonant frequency of a microcavity comprising:

providing a plurality of dielectric microcavities; and

introducing a permanent resonant frequency alteration to at least one of the said dielectric microcavity, wherein the permanent resonant frequency alteration has been introduced to at least one of the said dielectric microcavity by lithographically forming a secondary dielectric structure within the optical evanescent field of the said microcavity, said secondary dielectric structure does not come into contact with any of said dielectric microcavities; wherein at least one of the said dielectric microcavities is a dielectric waveguide in a closed loop forming a traveling wave resonator; wherein the said secondary dielectric structure is formed along the dielectric waveguide but not in contact with the dielectric waveguide; the secondary dielectric structure being non-guiding for optical frequencies below the cutoff frequency of the second transverse electric (TE) mode of the dielectric waveguide; and the secondary dielectric structure being positioned along the dielectric waveguide as to create a substantially equal perturbation of the evanescent field of the first TE mode of the dielectric wave guide, along the dielectric waveguide.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein at least two of the said dielectric microcavities are substantially similar traveling wave resonators formed of substantially similar dielectric waveguides, each of the said dielectric waveguides being arranged in a closed loop; wherein

the said secondary dielectric structure is formed along the first of the at least two substantially similar dielectric waveguides but not in contact with any of the said dielectric waveguides; the secondary dielectric structure being non-guiding for optical frequencies below the cutoff frequency of the second transverse electric (TE) mode of the first dielectric waveguide; the secondary dielectric structure being positioned along the first dielectric waveguides as to create a substantially equal perturbation of the evanescent field of the first TE mode of the first dielectric waveguides along the said first dielectric waveguides.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the said secondary dielectric structure is defined from the same material layer as at least one of the said at least two substantially similar dielectric waveguides.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein at least two of the said dielectric microcavities are substantially similar traveling wave resonators formed of substantially similar dielectric waveguides, each of the said dielectric waveguides being arranged in a closed loop comprising:

a first of said at least one secondary dielectric structure is formed along the first of the at least two substantially similar dielectric waveguides but not in contact with any of the said dielectric waveguides; the first secondary dielectric structure being non-guiding for optical frequencies below the cutoff frequency of the second transverse electric (TE) mode of the first dielectric waveguide; the first secondary dielectric structure being positioned along the first dielectric waveguides as to create a substantially equal perturbation of the evanescent field of the first TE mode of the first dielectric waveguides along the said first dielectric waveguides;

a second of said at least one secondary dielectric structure is formed along the second of the at least two substantially similar dielectric waveguides but not in contact with any of the said dielectric waveguides; the second secondary dielectric structure being non-guiding for optical frequencies below the cutoff frequency of the second TE mode of the second dielectric waveguide; the second secondary dielectric structure being positioned along the second dielectric waveguide as to create a substantially equal perturbation of the evanescent field of the first TE mode of the second dielectric waveguide along the said second dielectric waveguides; and

wherein the perturbation of the evanescent field of the first TE mode of the second dielectric waveguide created by the second secondary dielectric structure being different from the perturbation of the evanescent field of the first TE mode of the first dielectric waveguide created by the first secondary dielectric structure as to create a precise and permanent frequency shift between the two traveling wave resonators.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein at least one of the said first and second secondary dielectric structures is defined from the same material layer as at least one of the said at least two substantially similar dielectric waveguides.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the said secondary dielectric structure is defined from the same material layer as the said dielectric waveguide.

7. A method of modifying the resonant frequency of a microcavity comprising:

providing a plurality of dielectric microcavities; and

introducing a permanent resonant frequency alteration to at least one of the said dielectric microcavity, wherein the permanent resonant frequency alteration has been introduced to at least one of the said dielectric microcavity by lithographically forming a secondary dielectric structure within the optical evanescent field of the said microcavity, said secondary dielectric structure does not come into contact with any of said dielectric microcavities; wherein at least one of the said dielectric microcavities is a dielectric waveguide in a closed loop forming a traveling wave resonator; wherein

the secondary dielectric structure is formed along the dielectric waveguide but not in contact with the dielectric waveguide; the secondary dielectric structure being non-guiding for optical frequencies below the cutoff frequency of the second transverse magnetic (TM) mode of the dielectric waveguide; and the secondary dielectric structure being positioned along the dielectric waveguide as to create a substantially equal perturbation of the evanescent field of the first TM mode of the dielectric waveguide, along the dielectric waveguide.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein at least two of the said dielectric microcavities are substantially similar traveling wave resonators formed of substantially similar dielectric waveguides, each of the said dielectric waveguides being arranged in a closed loop; wherein

the said secondary dielectric structure is formed along the first of the at least two substantially similar dielectric waveguides but not in contact with any of the said dielectric waveguides; the secondary dielectric structure being non-guiding for optical frequencies below the cutoff frequency of the second transverse magnetic (TM) mode of the first dielectric waveguide; the secondary dielectric structure being positioned along the first dielectric waveguides as to create a substantially equal perturbation of the evanescent field of the first TM mode of the first dielectric waveguides along the said first dielectric waveguides.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the said secondary dielectric structure is defined from the same material layer as at least one of the said at least two substantially similar dielectric waveguides.

10. The method of claim 7 , wherein at least two of the said dielectric microcavities are substantially similar traveling wave resonators formed of substantially similar dielectric waveguides each of the said dielectric waveguides being arranged in a closed loop comprising:

a first of said at least on secondary dielectric structure is formed along the first of the at least two substantially similar dielectric waveguides but not in contact with any of the said dielectric waveguides; the first secondary dielectric structure being non-guiding for optical frequencies below the cutoff frequency of the second transverse magnetic (TM) mode of the first dielectric waveguide; the first secondary dielectric structure being positioned along the first dielectric waveguides as to create a substantially equal perturbation of the evanescent field of the first TM mode of the first dielectric waveguides along the said first dielectric waveguides; and

a second of said at least one secondary dielectric structure is formed along the second of the at least two substantially similar dielectric waveguides but not in contact with any of the said dielectric waveguides; the second secondary dielectric structure being non-guiding for optical frequencies below the cutoff frequency of the second TM mode of the second dielectric waveguide; the second secondary dielectric structure being positioned along the second dielectric waveguide as to create a substantially equal perturbation of the evanescent field of the first TM mode of the second dielectric waveguide along the said second dielectric waveguides;

wherein the perturbation of the evanescent field of the first TM mode of the second dielectric waveguide created by the second secondary dielectric structure being different from the perturbation of the evanescent field of the first TM mode of the first dielectric waveguide created by the first secondary dielectric structure as to create a precise and permanent frequency shift between the two traveling wave resonators.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein at least one of the said first and second secondary dielectric structures is defined from the same material layer as at least one of the said at least two substantially similar dielectric waveguides.

12. The method of claim 7 , wherein the said secondary dielectric structure is defined from the same material layer as the said dielectric waveguide.