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IEEE Journal of Quantum Electronics

Guided wave approaches to optical bistability

G. I. Stegeman

Published Oct 1, 1982• 101 citations
Publisher

Abstract

We have analyzed four different guided wave approaches to achieving a power dependent refractive index and optical bistability. These include surface plasmons at the interface between a metal and a semiconductor, symmetric surface plasmon modes guided by thin metal films, conventional single film integrated optics waveguides, and multifilm integrated optics. The relative merits of each geometry are discussed for utilizing the large cubic nonlinearities in the semiconductors GaAs and InSb. Both the mode attenuation and the minimum power required for a nonlinear phase shift of\pi/2are evaluated numerically and it is shown that usable propagation distances can be obtained, even for highly lossy media such as GaAs.

DOI
10.1109/jqe.1982.1071446

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We have analyzed four different guided wave approaches to achieving a power dependent refractive index and optical bistability. These include surface plasmons at the interface between a metal and a semiconductor, symmetric surface plasmon modes guided by thin metal films, conventional single film integrated optics waveguides, and multifilm integrated optics. The relative merits of each geometry are discussed for utilizing the large cubic nonlinearities in the semiconductors GaAs and InSb. Both the mode attenuation and the minimum power required for a nonlinear phase shift of\pi/2are evaluated numerically and it is shown that usable propagation distances can be obtained, even for highly lossy media such as GaAs.
We have analyzed four different guided wave approaches to achieving a power dependent refractive index and optical bistability. These include surface plasmons at the interface between a metal and a semiconductor, symmetric surface plasmon modes guided by thin metal films, conventional single film integrated optics waveguides, and multifilm integrated optics. The relative merits of each geometry are discussed for utilizing the large cubic nonlinearities in the semiconductors GaAs and InSb. Both the mode attenuation and the minimum power required for a nonlinear phase shift of pi/2 are evaluated numerically and it is shown that usable propagation distances can be obtained, even for highly lossy media such as GaAs.
We have theoretically analysed the optical bistability due to the excitation of surface plasmon polaritons (SP's) in samples, prism/metal film/nonlinear optic medium and prism/gap material/metal film/non-linear optic medium, where the non-linear optic medium has an intensity-dependent refractive index. We considered two cases, i.e. non-linearity along the propagation direction of SP's and along the normal to the interface. In the former case, the critical input power for the optical bistability was too high to allow experimental observation, while it was reasonably low for the latter case.
We have numerically investigated optical bistability (OB) in a TaFD9 prism/Ag film/PDA-4BCMU film/air geometry. 4BCMU films are dealt as nonlinear optic films with Kerr nonlinearity. In the geometry of our interest surface plasmon polaritons and guided waves can be excited. Numerical calculations have been carried out for TE- and TM-polarized incident lights. In the case of guided waves the critical power density required for OB is less than 1 W/cm 2 under a certain condition. This is a promising value to realize actual optic devices.
Wysin et al1 suggested that the local field enhancement near a metal surface which occurs if surface plasmons are excited in a metal film, can be useful for observing optical bistability arising from the nonlinearity of the Kerr medium. Other geometrical arrangements2 have also been suggested. These studies assume plane waves in the nonlinear medium and use the Fresnel formulae for reflection and refraction from a layered medium but with linear refractive index replaced by the nonlinear refractive index. This assumes that the fields in the medium are homogeneous. However if surface plasmons are excited, then the fields are inhomogeneous and one has the problem of reflection and refraction from an inhomogeneous layered medium. The inhomogeneity is to be determined self consistently. Thus a proper treatment of optical bistability with surface plasmons should use the nonlinear solutions of the wave equation in Kerr medium. This is what we do in this paper.