  A general model is presented for coupling of high-$Q$ whispering-gallery
modes in optical microsphere resonators with coupler devices possessing
discrete and continuous spectrum of propagating modes. By contrast to
conventional high-Q optical cavities, in microspheres independence of high
intrinsic quality-factor and controllable parameters of coupling via evanescent
field offer variety of regimes earlier available in RF devices. The theory is
applied to the earlier-reported data on different types of couplers to
microsphere resonators and complemented by experimental demonstration of
enhanced coupling efficiency (about 80%) and variable loading regimes with
Q>10^8 fused silica microspheres.
