Physics and applications of optical bistability in semiconductor laser amplifiers

Matthew Adams, H.J. Westlake, M.J. O’Mahony

H.J. Westlake, M.J. Adams, M.J. O’Mahony

M.J. Adams, H.J. Westlake, M.J. O’Mahony

H.J. Westlake, Matthew Adams, M.J. O’Mahony

Optical bistability in semiconductor laser amplifiers is particularly interesting because of the gain provided by the device. Small changes, in input power can result in large changes in amplifier gain, and this leads to possible applications in all-optical regenerators for transmission systems. Other possible applications include their use as optical switches and logic elements.1 Optical bistability in GaAs laser amplifiers operating at 850 nm has been reported previously.2 Here we report for the first time measured results at 1.5 μm with an InGaAsP device.

Masakatsu Okada, Hiroshi Kikuchi, Kenji Takizawa +1 more

Optical bistability in a Fabry-Perot semiconductor laser amplifier when two optical inputs detuned from the resonant wavelength of a semiconductor laser amplifier are injected is discussed. A split branch is found in the optical output versus input characteristics in addition to conventional optical bistability behavior. It is shown analytically and experimentally that set and reset can be achieved in the optical output of the semiconductor laser amplifier for each wavelength by applying two detuned optical pulses and using the split branch.>

Ian H. White