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

Soviet Journal of Quantum Electronics

Optical bistability associated with orientational nonlinearity of liquid crystals

Boris Ya Zel'dovich, Nelson V. Tabiryan

Published Dec 31, 1984• 7 citations
Publisher

Abstract

An analysis is made of nonlinear optical phenomena associated with a change in the orientation of the director of a liquid crystal induced by an optical field and resulting in optical bistability. The usual configurations with a nonlinear Fabry-Perot resonator and several other configurations are considered. Bistable cells with cholesterics are proposed: in these cells the nonlinearity is associated with the absorption of the incident and reflected light and is related—via the temperature of the cell—to the cholesteric helix period. Devices are considered in which switching from one state to another takes place as a result of a change in radiation parameters (such as the frequency or polarization) other than the power.

DOI
10.1070/qe1984v014n12abeh006232

Related papers

Optical bistability, multistability, and instabilities in liquid crystals

Sergei M. Arakelyan

The physical aspects of the manifestation of optical bistability, instabilities, and stochasticity in strongly nonlinear media in the form of liquid crystals subjected to laser radiation fields are discussed. The stress is on experimental research. Optical bistability and multistability are considered for a number of light-induced effects in homogeneous and inhomogeneous liquid crystals. The special features of these effects in liquids crystals, associated with the field-induced structural phase transitions, are stressed and the concept of intrinsic (mirrorless) optical bistability is introduced. General nonlinear systems with optical bistability are considered. An analysis is made of instabilities and stochasticity manifested in experiments on light-induced reorientation of liquid crystals in the presence of fields of different origin, giving rise to oscillatory and chaotic processes in the case of self-modulation of the transmitted light.

Soviet Physics Uspekhi•Dec 31, 1987•8 citations

Polarization-induced switching and polarization bistability in nonlinear planar resonators with diffusive nonlinearity

Jan Danckaert, Hugo Thienpont A, Irina P. Veretennicoff

To merge the fields of polarization and nonlinear optics opens wide perspectives. The present work aims at investigating some of them. It is shown, on one hand, that if a nonlinear Fabry- Perot resonator filled with an optically isotropic material is addressed by an obliquely incident beam, the transmitted irradiance can switch from an up to a down state (or the reverse) if its polarization is properly modulated. If on the other hand the nonlinear cavity is filled with a linearly birefringent material, polarization optical bistability can occur, even at normal incidence. This polarization bistability can arise both by modulating the incident irradiance and by modulating the incident polarization. Optical bistability of the transmitted irradiance can also be induced by the modulation of the polarization of the incident beam. All these features provide new tools for parallel digital optical information processing.

Proceedings of SPIE, the International Society for Optical Engineering/Proceedings of SPIE•Jun 28, 1993•0 citations

Threshold-free optical bistability due to giant nonlinearity of resonance absorption in crystals containingFAcenters

M. I. Dykman, Georgiy G. Tarasov

An analysis is made of a polarization optical bistability in crystals containing FA centers and placed in a resonator. The bistability is due to the possibility of amplification of fluctuations of the polarization of radiation in such crystals and in practice has no threshold in respect of the radiation intensity. An analysis is made of the ranges of values of the parameters of a doped crystal and of a resonator in which this bistability can be observed. The analysis is carried out for ring and Fabry–Perot resonators.

Soviet Journal of Quantum Electronics•Oct 31, 1987•1 citation

Dynamical aspects of polarization induced switching phenomena in diffusively nonlinear Fabry-Perot resonators

Jan Danckaert, Hugo Thienpont A, Irina P. Veretennicoff

The combination of polarization optics and nonlinear optics gives rise to interesting new physical phenomena1. In the work presented here we will focus on planar resonators with a nonlinearity of diffusive nature, such as the nonlinear Fabry-Perot resonator (NLFP). There are two ways to display the role of polarization in the bistable response of such a device. First, in a configuration where the light wave is obliquely incident on the resonator, as the interface's reflectances depend on the polarization state of the incident light. Second, in a configuration where the beam impinges normally on a resonator now filled with an anisotropic material, as a phase shift is induced between the linear Airy resonances of the two polarization eigenmodes. In this paper, two dynamic theories for planar resonators are presented for both configurations mentioned above, for an arbitrary polarization of the incident plane wave.

Nonlinear Dynamics in Optical Systems•Jan 1, 1992•0 citations

Absorptive optical bistability in organic media under the influence of transverse effects

Eliška Jurisová, Jarmila Müllerová

The influence of transverse effects on optical bistability in Fabry-Perot cavity filled with saturable absorber was numerically investigated. A simple model of singlet absorption was used on numerically solving the relationships between the input and output light fields. The proposed model corresponds well to organic compounds considered as novel optical materials with third-order optical nonlinearities. The proposed optically bistable systems were demonstrated for two organic dyes of fluorescein and rhodamine 6G dispersed in transparent solid matrices. Their optically bistable behaviour was anticipated considering the homogeneous and Gaussian distribution of light energy in the radial direction. Most notable cases are discussed related to the changes of the Gaussian beam radii, positive feedback conditions in the Fabry-Perot cavity and considering linear and nonlinear absorption parameters of the organic media. The simulation results enabled us to establish numerically thresholds of Fabry-Perot mirror reflectance and Gaussian beam radius for both nonlinear organic materials, above which absorptive optical bistability can occur. The results can be helpful in design of optical switches for all-optical communication networks.

Proceedings of SPIE, the International Society for Optical Engineering/Proceedings of SPIE•Sep 24, 2010•1 citation

Optical bistability in nematic liquid crystals

Shuchao Chen

Optical bistable behaviour of nematic liquid crystals in Fabry-Perot cavity has been discussed. The normal and abnormal bistable loops were also discussed. Considering thermal conductivity in F-P cavity, a theory to get very low critical switching power optical bistability was developed.

International Conference on Optoelectronic Science and Engineering '90•Dec 4, 2017•0 citations
An analysis is made of nonlinear optical phenomena associated with a change in the orientation of the director of a liquid crystal induced by an optical field and resulting in optical bistability. The usual configurations with a nonlinear Fabry-Perot resonator and several other configurations are considered. Bistable cells with cholesterics are proposed: in these cells the nonlinearity is associated with the absorption of the incident and reflected light and is related—via the temperature of the cell—to the cholesteric helix period. Devices are considered in which switching from one state to another takes place as a result of a change in radiation parameters (such as the frequency or polarization) other than the power.
The physical aspects of the manifestation of optical bistability, instabilities, and stochasticity in strongly nonlinear media in the form of liquid crystals subjected to laser radiation fields are discussed. The stress is on experimental research. Optical bistability and multistability are considered for a number of light-induced effects in homogeneous and inhomogeneous liquid crystals. The special features of these effects in liquids crystals, associated with the field-induced structural phase transitions, are stressed and the concept of intrinsic (mirrorless) optical bistability is introduced. General nonlinear systems with optical bistability are considered. An analysis is made of instabilities and stochasticity manifested in experiments on light-induced reorientation of liquid crystals in the presence of fields of different origin, giving rise to oscillatory and chaotic processes in the case of self-modulation of the transmitted light.
To merge the fields of polarization and nonlinear optics opens wide perspectives. The present work aims at investigating some of them. It is shown, on one hand, that if a nonlinear Fabry- Perot resonator filled with an optically isotropic material is addressed by an obliquely incident beam, the transmitted irradiance can switch from an up to a down state (or the reverse) if its polarization is properly modulated. If on the other hand the nonlinear cavity is filled with a linearly birefringent material, polarization optical bistability can occur, even at normal incidence. This polarization bistability can arise both by modulating the incident irradiance and by modulating the incident polarization. Optical bistability of the transmitted irradiance can also be induced by the modulation of the polarization of the incident beam. All these features provide new tools for parallel digital optical information processing.
An analysis is made of a polarization optical bistability in crystals containing FA centers and placed in a resonator. The bistability is due to the possibility of amplification of fluctuations of the polarization of radiation in such crystals and in practice has no threshold in respect of the radiation intensity. An analysis is made of the ranges of values of the parameters of a doped crystal and of a resonator in which this bistability can be observed. The analysis is carried out for ring and Fabry–Perot resonators.
The combination of polarization optics and nonlinear optics gives rise to interesting new physical phenomena1. In the work presented here we will focus on planar resonators with a nonlinearity of diffusive nature, such as the nonlinear Fabry-Perot resonator (NLFP). There are two ways to display the role of polarization in the bistable response of such a device. First, in a configuration where the light wave is obliquely incident on the resonator, as the interface's reflectances depend on the polarization state of the incident light. Second, in a configuration where the beam impinges normally on a resonator now filled with an anisotropic material, as a phase shift is induced between the linear Airy resonances of the two polarization eigenmodes. In this paper, two dynamic theories for planar resonators are presented for both configurations mentioned above, for an arbitrary polarization of the incident plane wave.
The influence of transverse effects on optical bistability in Fabry-Perot cavity filled with saturable absorber was numerically investigated. A simple model of singlet absorption was used on numerically solving the relationships between the input and output light fields. The proposed model corresponds well to organic compounds considered as novel optical materials with third-order optical nonlinearities. The proposed optically bistable systems were demonstrated for two organic dyes of fluorescein and rhodamine 6G dispersed in transparent solid matrices. Their optically bistable behaviour was anticipated considering the homogeneous and Gaussian distribution of light energy in the radial direction. Most notable cases are discussed related to the changes of the Gaussian beam radii, positive feedback conditions in the Fabry-Perot cavity and considering linear and nonlinear absorption parameters of the organic media. The simulation results enabled us to establish numerically thresholds of Fabry-Perot mirror reflectance and Gaussian beam radius for both nonlinear organic materials, above which absorptive optical bistability can occur. The results can be helpful in design of optical switches for all-optical communication networks.