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Electronics Letters

Intrinsic optical bistability and multistability in a passive GaAlAs waveguide

Andy C. Walker, James Stewart Aitchison, S. Ritchie, P.M. Rodgers

Published Mar 27, 1986• 23 citations
Publisher

Abstract

We report the first observation of bistability in a passive optical waveguide arising from an intrinsic nonlinearity within the guide medium. The observation of up to eight-level multistability is also reported.
DOI
10.1049/el:19860249

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We present a novel approach to achieving intrinsic optical bistability and multistability through the interplay between saturable and reverse saturable absorption. Our findings reveal that the stable points on the optical bistability curve align with the switching points of intensity-dependent nonlinear absorption. By analyzing the optical properties of a four-level cascade quantum system, we demonstrate that these switching behaviors can be triggered by applying laser fields to induce nonlinear absorption. Furthermore, we propose a comprehensive model to describe the intensity-dependent nonlinear absorption within this quantum system. Finally, it is shown that the optical bistability switches to the multistability when the detuning of applied fields exceeds the multi-photon resonance condition.
Optical bistability has been observed in a semiconductor for the first time. The bistable etalon consists of a GaAlAs-GaAs-GaAlAs molecular-beam-epitaxially-grown sandwich with 90% reflectivity coatings. The bistability is primarily dispersive with the nonlinear refractive index arising from light-induced changes in exciton absorption. Using light of frequency just below the exciton peak, we observed bistability from 5 to 120 °K with 40-ns turn-off and subnanosecond turn-on times with 1 mW/μm2 holding intensity.