Criteria for Polarized Optical Bistability

G. Zartov, Krassimir P. Panajotov, Rumiana A. Peyeva

Shenping Li, Yizhou Zhang

The static criterion for multiphoton optical bistability in a high-Q ring cavity is analytically derived for a homogeneously broadened atomic system when the input coherent field is in perfect resonance with the atoms and with the cavity. It is shown how the static threshold condition, the bistable regime, the critical point, and the threshold input field amplitude for the optical bistability, change with the variables of the photon number involved in the transition and the system parameter C/sub n/. Criteria for the stability of the stationary solutions are derived and discussed. The results show that in the input-output curves, all parts of the branches with negative slope are unstable, and some parts of the branches with positive slope may be unstable. Considering the stability of the stationary solutions, complete criteria for optical bistability are discussed.>

M. I. Dykman

A. Korpel, A.W. Lohmann

We consider the usual ring cavity with a nonlinear medium of which the response time is much longer than the period of the light frequency. It is assumed that two polarization modes affect this medium incoherently, i.e. on an additive power basis. We will show by heuristic physical reasoning, based partly on graphical construction, that a sufficient condition for jump type instabilities is that the sum of the inverse relative differential gains for the two modes not exceed unity. We will then briefly sketch how the same result can be obtained from a formal mathematical stability analysis.

Y. Ron Shen

Chunfei Li