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Journal de Physique Lettres

Critical exponents in dispersive optical bistability

G. Grynberg, Sophie Cribier

Published Jan 1, 1983• 19 citations
Publisher

Abstract

We theoretically investigate the switching time ts of a single beam optical device whose bistability relies on a dispersive effect. We show that if we vary an external parameter p (incident intensity or length of the Fabry-Perot cavity) beyond a critical point pc, ts should vary as (p - pc)-1/2 whatever the origin of the non linear dispersion is.

DOI
10.1051/jphyslet:019830044012044900

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Europhysics Letters (EPL)•Jan 1, 1989•5 citations
We theoretically investigate the switching time ts of a single beam optical device whose bistability relies on a dispersive effect. We show that if we vary an external parameter p (incident intensity or length of the Fabry-Perot cavity) beyond a critical point pc, ts should vary as (p - pc)-1/2 whatever the origin of the non linear dispersion is.
A general theory of optical bistability for a homogeneously broadened two-level system in a Fabry-Perot interferometer is presented. Both absorptive and dispersive mechanisms are included, and in the mean-field approximation a cubic state equation is derived relating transmitted intensity to all physical parameters. From the perspective of catastrophe theory, this equation describes an elementary cusp catastrophe. We show that bistable switching may follow not only from sweeping the incident laser intensity, but also with continuous variation of atomic or cavity detuning, or atomic density, with the laser intensity fixed. For the case having incident intensity as the variable control, the domain of bistability is studied in some detail as a function of the remaining fixed parameters. Stability criteria are considered for the general case including both absorption and dispersion.
When the output parameter of an optical device could be a multivalued function of the input parameter, this device can be working in an optical bistable status. The most typical optical bistable device is a Fabry–Perot cavity containing a nonlinear optical medium, the refractive index of which depends on the light intensity. Upon the action of an intense input optical beam, the transmitted (or reflected) intensity of this device may exhibit a nonlinear response to the incident light intensity variation and, especially under appropriate working conditions, the characteristic output/input curve may manifest a single (or multiple) hysteresis loop(s). Such type of optical bistable device can be used as an optical differential amplifier, optical switch, optical limiter, optical clipper, optical discriminator, or an optical memory element, depending on the chosen nonlinear medium and operation conditions.