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IEEE Journal of Quantum Electronics

Optical bistability in a dissipative thermally expanding etalon

N. M. Lawandy, David V. Plant, Douglas Robert MacFarlane

Published Feb 1, 1985• 5 citations
Publisher

Abstract

The phenomenon of optical bistability is examined for the case of a lossy Fabry-Perot etalon. Using a multibeam interference method and thermal length expansion relationships, we derive an inverted equation which predicts the output transmission for such an etalon. Specific operating parameters are given for silicon wafer structures operating in the lattice vibration absorption regime (10 μm). Experiments using 15 ms CO2laser pulses and Si wafers show resonance-to-nonresonance switching.

DOI
10.1109/jqe.1985.1072621

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IEEE Journal of Quantum Electronics•May 1, 1991•95 citations
The phenomenon of optical bistability is examined for the case of a lossy Fabry-Perot etalon. Using a multibeam interference method and thermal length expansion relationships, we derive an inverted equation which predicts the output transmission for such an etalon. Specific operating parameters are given for silicon wafer structures operating in the lattice vibration absorption regime (10 μm). Experiments using 15 ms CO2laser pulses and Si wafers show resonance-to-nonresonance switching.
We report the optical bistability and the self-oscillation of a nonlinear Fabry–Perot etalon filled with Norland optical adhesive 81. A normal and an inverted bistable loop were observed for a short (80msec) and a long (1.2sec) input optical pulse duration, respectively. The self-oscillation properties depended sensitively on the substrate and the spacer thicknesses. The measured self-oscillation period became longer with an increase of the spacer thickness and was in the range o 0.2 to 3 seconds. The inversion of the bistable loop, and the self-oscillation in this experiment can be explained by the competition between the fast thermal refractive index change and the slow linear thermal expansion of the etalon.
Large optical nonlinearities occur in a variety of multiple quantum-well and n-i-p-i materials in which the nonlinearity saturates and there is residual absorption. The conditions for bistability when such media are placed with a Fabry-Perot etalon are discussed. It is proved analytically that the ratio of the optically induced saturated index change to the linear loss per unit length must be larger than the wavelength divided by pi . It is shown, however, that practical devices require twice this value. It is found that there is a tradeoff in cavity design between minimizing the switching intensity and minimizing the required nonlinear phase change. Finally, approximate expressions for the switching intensity versus detuning are given.>
A theoretical demonstration of optical bistability in periodic layered media, particularly in long-period GaAs/AlAs superlattices is presented. The proposed structure consists of a periodic multilayer system, as opposed to previously demonstrated nonlinear bistable devices which employed Fabry-Perot etalons. The optical resonance effect which is essential for bistable devices is, in this case, induced by a refractive index modulation. The nonlinear active medium is distributed in the whole structure rather than placed between the two mirrors of a Fabry-Perot cavity. It is shown by a complete calculation of wave propagation in the periodic nonlinear medium that a multiple valued feature appears in the structure's nonlinear reflectivity spectrum. The input/output characteristics of the structure exhibit bistable hysteresis similar to that of a nonlinear Fabry-Perot etalon.>