Sharp asymmetric line shapes in side-coupled waveguide-cavity systems

Abstract

We show that, for an optical microcavity side coupled with a waveguide, sharp, and asymmetric line shapes can be created in the response function by placing two partially reflecting elements into the waveguides. In such a system, the transmission coefficient varies from 0% to 100% in a frequency range narrower than the full width of the resonance itself. We numerically demonstrate this effect by simulating the propagation of electromagnetic waves in a photonic crystal.