Chalcogenide glass microspheres; their production, characterization and potential.

Micro-resonators have attracted considerable attention as a potential geometry for photonic devices used in multiplexing, memory and switching. These all-optical-resonators allow light at certain wavelengths to build up in intensity allowing nonlinear effects to be seen for much lower input power than in a bulk material. We report here on microspheres made from gallium-lanthanum-sulphide glass. Spheres have been produced with diameters from less than 1 mum up to 450 microm, and we demonstrate a first measured quality factor of 8x10(4) at 1.55 microm, for a chalcogenide sphere diameter of 100 microm. We also predict an ultimate Q of up to 4x10(10) at 3 microm.