We propose a method to break the chiral symmetry of light in traveling wave resonators by coupling the optical modes to a lossy channel. Through the engineered dissipation, an indirect dissipative coupling between two oppositely propagating modes can be realized. Combined with reactive coupling, it can break the chiral symmetry of the resonator, allowing light propagating only in one direction. The chiral symmetry breaking is numerically verified by the simulation of an electromagnetic field in a microring cavity, with proper refractive index distributions. This work provokes us to emphasize the dissipation engineering in photonics, and that the generalized idea can also be applied to other systems.

• Received 28 April 2016

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevA.94.013848