Journal of the Optical Society of America B

Optical flip–flop memory and data packet switching operation based on polarization bistability in a telecommunication optical fiber

P.-Y. Bony, Massimiliano Guasoni, Elie Assémat, Stéphane Pitois, Dominique Sugny, Antonio Picozzi, Hans Rudolf Jauslin, Julien Fatome

Published Jul 29, 2013• 26 citations

Publisher

Abstract

We report the experimental observation of bistability and hysteresis phenomena of the polarization signal in a telecommunication optical fiber. This process occurs in a counterpropagating configuration in which the optical beam nonlinearly interacts with its own Bragg-reflected replica at the fiber output. The proof of principle of optical flip–flop memory and 10 Gbit/s routing operation is also reported based on this polarization bistability. Finally, we also provide a general physical understanding of this behavior on the basis of a geometrical analysis of an effective model of the dynamics. Good quantitative agreement between theory and experiment is obtained.

DOI: 10.1364/josab.30.002318

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