Challenges
Datasets
Workspaces
Papers
Discussions
Leaderboard
Log inSign up
Challenges
Datasets
Workspaces
Papers
Discussions
Leaderboard
Blog
Job Board
Q3AS

© 2026 Aqora Quantum S.A.S.

TermsPrivacyLegal Notice

Optics Letters

Optical cross talk between nearby optical bistable devices on the same étalon

Kuochou Tai, J. V. Moloney, H. M. Gibbs

Published Sep 1, 1982• 16 citations
Publisher

Abstract

This Letter is concerned with the parallel operation of optical bistable devices. The two-beam side-by-side case has been simulated numerically. Diffraction coupling from one device operating in the upper branch can cause the other one, operating in the lower branch, to switch to the upper branch if the separation of the two beams is too small. The separation required for independent operation is usually a few beamwidths. The results give promise for performing parallel operations with optical bistable devices on the same étalon.

DOI
10.1364/ol.7.000429

Related papers

Parallel operation of GaAs bistable etalons: with and without crosstalk

Jack L. Jewell, Y. H. Lee

We demonstrate the simultaneous, independent, and nearly identical operation on nanosecond time scales of GaAs optical bistable devices. A Wollaston prism inserted into the input beam produced two equal-intensity beams which were focused to <10-μm diam spots centered ~40 μm apart. Achievement of equal switch-on intensities for the two spots was straightforward and easy. Elimination of either beam by a polarizer revealed no visible change in the response to the other; thus the switches operated independently. Operation of four spots did not yield uniform response in this initial attempt. The device consists of sixty-one periods of 299 Å GaAs and 98 Å AIGaAs multiple quantum well structure capped by ~2000-Å AI­GaAs windows and sandwiched between 94% reflectance mirrors. Using two independently controlled beams we could vary continuously the distance between two spots. Diffusive crosstalk was then identified by a decrease in switch-on intensity of one of the beams when the other beam was brought sufficiently close. The extent of the carrier diffusion varied with position on the sample, orientation of the spots, and the switch-on intensities. The critical spacing at which crosstalk became noticeable ranged from 35 μm to more than 100 μm.

Annual Meeting Optical Society of America•Jan 1, 1985•0 citations

Cross talk between bistable elements on an InSb étalon

James Young, David J. Hagan, Harvey Richardson +2 more

Cross talk due to transverse carrier diffusion between identical bistable elements on an InSb étalon at 80 K is studied both theoretically and experimentally. Measurements of cross talk between two such elements show that typically, for a practical system, a critical separation of a few diffusion lengths between beam centers is necessary for independent operation. When the difference between holding and switching powers approaches zero, the results show that the critical distance diverges. Delays as great as 4 μsec have been observed when one element is switched and its neighbor is induced to switch through the cross-talk mechanism. These delays can be partially attributed to critical slowing down, and, in principle, they diverge as the interelement distance is increased toward the critical separation. A theoretical model based on the diffusion equation for the single-pass nonlinear phase shift shows how the critical separation depends on physical parameters and the number of elements forming an array. We found that the relevant interaction is essentially limited to nearest neighbors. When the theory is applied to two bistable elements, good agreement is obtained with the experiments in both the steady and the dynamic states.

Journal of the Optical Society of America B•Jan 1, 1988•2 citations

Transverse Effects in Optical Bistability in the Context of Parallel Processing

W. J. Firth, Jerome V. Moloney, Stanley Desmond Smith +5 more

For reasons of speed and economy, applications of dispersive optical bistability are likely to concentrate on solid-state devices of small volume. In this paper we will discuss the modelling and optimisation of such devices, particularly in relation to possible pixel size and spatial resolution. Diffusion (1,2), rather than diffraction (3), is the dominant transverse coupling mechanism in the two current solid-state systems (InSb etalon (4) and ZnSe-spaced interference filter (5)), capable of cw hold and optical address, but we will argue that in an optimised device diffraction and diffusion will be equally important.

•Jan 1, 1985•0 citations

Diffusion and diffraction in dispersive optical bistability

W. J. Firth, Ewan M. Wright, Ian Galbraith

We present some numerical calculations on the effect of diffusion and diffraction on the switching characteristics of bistable optical étalons, together with an approximate analytic model demonstrating the major features and a discussion of switching waves in such systems. A diffusion length of one third of the input-beam spot size gives large hysteresis, whereas diffraction alone gives no hysteresis in first order.

Journal of the Optical Society of America B•Jun 1, 1985•78 citations

Transverse effects in optical bistability and superfluorescence

Edward Watson

Abstract : The interaction of a light beam with matter has varying degrees of dependence on the transverse profile of the beam. Two topics are considered here. The first topic, superfluorescence, involves the coherent emission generated by an initially inverted two-level medium. Calculations in the past have included either quantum fluctuations in the initial conditions or transverse effects, but never both. The calculations presented here include both transverse effects and quantum fluctuations. The results of the theoretical calculations are in good agreement with previous experimental results, both quantitatively in terms of time delay averages and distributions and also qualitatively in terms of pulse shapes. The second topic considered, optical bistability, involves devices which exhibit two stable output light intensities (a high and a low branch) over a limited range of input light intensities. Simulations performed here show the effect of diffraction, measured in terms of the Fresnel number, on how much of the device becomes bistable. It was found that for small Fresnel number cases, the entire device become bistable. For high Fresnel number cases, only part of the device becomes bistable while the rest of the device remains low transmitting. The results of an experiment performed are consistent with the simulations. (Author)

•Jan 1, 1982•1 citation

Optical bistability in quantum well devices

Hyatt M. Gibbs, G. Khitrova, S. W. Koch +14 more

Nonlinear optics can be used to make all-optical decisions for optical signal processing or optical computing or to switch light beams for optical communications.1 Nonlinear Fabry-Perot etalons permit many decision-making elements to operate in parallel. Nonlinear waveguide devices such as directional couplers or Mach-Zehnder interferometers may someday permit very rapid switching or processing of pipelined data.

Optical Fiber Communication Conference•Jan 1, 1988•0 citations
This Letter is concerned with the parallel operation of optical bistable devices. The two-beam side-by-side case has been simulated numerically. Diffraction coupling from one device operating in the upper branch can cause the other one, operating in the lower branch, to switch to the upper branch if the separation of the two beams is too small. The separation required for independent operation is usually a few beamwidths. The results give promise for performing parallel operations with optical bistable devices on the same étalon.
We demonstrate the simultaneous, independent, and nearly identical operation on nanosecond time scales of GaAs optical bistable devices. A Wollaston prism inserted into the input beam produced two equal-intensity beams which were focused to <10-μm diam spots centered ~40 μm apart. Achievement of equal switch-on intensities for the two spots was straightforward and easy. Elimination of either beam by a polarizer revealed no visible change in the response to the other; thus the switches operated independently. Operation of four spots did not yield uniform response in this initial attempt. The device consists of sixty-one periods of 299 Å GaAs and 98 Å AIGaAs multiple quantum well structure capped by ~2000-Å AI­GaAs windows and sandwiched between 94% reflectance mirrors. Using two independently controlled beams we could vary continuously the distance between two spots. Diffusive crosstalk was then identified by a decrease in switch-on intensity of one of the beams when the other beam was brought sufficiently close. The extent of the carrier diffusion varied with position on the sample, orientation of the spots, and the switch-on intensities. The critical spacing at which crosstalk became noticeable ranged from 35 μm to more than 100 μm.
Cross talk due to transverse carrier diffusion between identical bistable elements on an InSb étalon at 80 K is studied both theoretically and experimentally. Measurements of cross talk between two such elements show that typically, for a practical system, a critical separation of a few diffusion lengths between beam centers is necessary for independent operation. When the difference between holding and switching powers approaches zero, the results show that the critical distance diverges. Delays as great as 4 μsec have been observed when one element is switched and its neighbor is induced to switch through the cross-talk mechanism. These delays can be partially attributed to critical slowing down, and, in principle, they diverge as the interelement distance is increased toward the critical separation. A theoretical model based on the diffusion equation for the single-pass nonlinear phase shift shows how the critical separation depends on physical parameters and the number of elements forming an array. We found that the relevant interaction is essentially limited to nearest neighbors. When the theory is applied to two bistable elements, good agreement is obtained with the experiments in both the steady and the dynamic states.
For reasons of speed and economy, applications of dispersive optical bistability are likely to concentrate on solid-state devices of small volume. In this paper we will discuss the modelling and optimisation of such devices, particularly in relation to possible pixel size and spatial resolution. Diffusion (1,2), rather than diffraction (3), is the dominant transverse coupling mechanism in the two current solid-state systems (InSb etalon (4) and ZnSe-spaced interference filter (5)), capable of cw hold and optical address, but we will argue that in an optimised device diffraction and diffusion will be equally important.
Abstract : The interaction of a light beam with matter has varying degrees of dependence on the transverse profile of the beam. Two topics are considered here. The first topic, superfluorescence, involves the coherent emission generated by an initially inverted two-level medium. Calculations in the past have included either quantum fluctuations in the initial conditions or transverse effects, but never both. The calculations presented here include both transverse effects and quantum fluctuations. The results of the theoretical calculations are in good agreement with previous experimental results, both quantitatively in terms of time delay averages and distributions and also qualitatively in terms of pulse shapes. The second topic considered, optical bistability, involves devices which exhibit two stable output light intensities (a high and a low branch) over a limited range of input light intensities. Simulations performed here show the effect of diffraction, measured in terms of the Fresnel number, on how much of the device becomes bistable. It was found that for small Fresnel number cases, the entire device become bistable. For high Fresnel number cases, only part of the device becomes bistable while the rest of the device remains low transmitting. The results of an experiment performed are consistent with the simulations. (Author)