Journal of the Optical Society of America B
All-optical frequency-controlled frequency switch
Taciano Amaral Sorrentino, Orlando Di Lorenzo, L. C. de Oliveira, Martine Chevrollier, Marcos Oriá
Abstract
Orthogonally polarized optical feedback has been proven to act on the frequency of semiconductor lasers. The coupling of this feedback to a nonlinear filter results in bistability for the frequency of the laser output [Phys. Rev. Lett.94, 173902 (2005)]. This phenomenon opens the way to the development of all-optical devices such as a switch between frequency states of the optical emission. For demonstrating this particular application we use an AsGaAl monomode laser emitting around 852 nm, together with a warm atomic cesium vapor as a resonant filter. The output frequency state of the switch is determined by two different frequencies of a control laser, with each control frequency changing the switch frequency in only one direction.