We report optical switching (dynamic optical bistability) in a 200-μm-thick, uncoated Cd0.23Hg0.77Te étalon at room temperature by two-photon excitation with a short pulse CO2 laser at 10.6 μm.
We have observed bistability of the n-type Cd x Hg1− x Te in Auger-dominated in the following conditions: the input probe beam, obtained by splitting the CO2 laser with a ZnSe splitter, was incident upon the CdHgTe detector 1. The output probe beam, passing through the Fabry-Perot etalon, was detected by the CdHgTe detector 2. All beams were chopped using a mechanical chopper with a tunable mark/space ratio between 20:1 at a high speed synchronous motor. The signals of the incident and transmission intensity synchronously detected by using the CdHgTe detectors at 77 K were displayed on an oscilloscope. Our specimen was n-type Cd x Hg1− x Te (x = 0.225) at 77 K, the intrinsic carrier concentration n = 9.8 × 1014 cm-3, the mobility μ = 3.15 × 104 (cm2/V sec). The absorption coefficient α = 72 cm was polished plane parallel to form an etalon 215 μm thick, the reflectivities of which are R F = R B = R = 32%. In our experiment, the incident intensity I is 750 W/cm2 and both the laser mode and power stability met the standards.
We report the first observation of quasi-steady-state optical bistability in an InSb etalon at room temperature as a result of the generation of free carriers through two photon absorption of 10 μm radiation. Nonlinear tuning of the etalon through two free spectral ranges has been achieved, with bistability observed around the two cavity resonances. Switching from a low to high transmission state has been achieved in times less than 10 ns while switching in the opposite direction occurs within 50-100 ns. The experimental results have been successfully fitted to a numerical model of the device.
We report the fastest ON/OFF switching bistable optical device yet demonstrated. The device consists of a 13-μm thick CdS platelet in a Fabry-Perot cavity formed by two external mirrors with 90% reflectivity. Very well-defined OM and OFF states with switching times of < 1 nsec (ON) and 2 nsec (OFF) are observed when the laser frequency is tuned to within about one halfwidth below the inhomogeneously broadened bound exciton resonance in CdS. In Fig. 1, the Input and output pulse forms are shown revealing the fast switching.