Finite-element simulation of cavity modes in a microfluidic dye ring laser

Abstract

We consider a recently reported micro-fluidic dye ring laser and study the full wave nature of TE modes in the cavity by means of finite-element simulations. The resonance wave-patterns of the cavity modes support a ray-tracing view and we are also able to explain the spectrum in terms of standing waves with a mode spacing dk = 2pi/L_eff where L_eff is the effective optical path length in the cavity.