Backscatter and Spontaneous Four-Wave Mixing in Micro-Ring Resonators

Abstract: We model backscatter for electric fields propagating through optical micro-ring resonators, as occurring both in-ring and in-coupler. These provide useful tools for modelling transmission and in-ring fields in these optical devices. We then discuss spontaneous four-wave mixing and use the models to obtain heralding efficiencies and rates. We observe a trade-off between these, which becomes more extreme as the rings become more strongly backscattered.