Applied Physics Letters
Room-temperature optical bistability in InGaAsP/InP amplifiers and implications for passive devices
Wayne F. Sharfin, M. Dagenais
Abstract
Optical bistability has been observed for the first time in a room-temperature InGaAsP/InP amplifier. Switching occurred at an optical input power of about 3 μW, corresponding to a change in the refractive index of 5×10−4. The results are discussed in terms of a light-induced change in carrier concentration. Implications for bistability in passive devices are also discussed.