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

IEEE Journal of Quantum Electronics

On the dynamic response of nonlinear Fabry-Perot interferometers

J. A. Goldstone, E. Garmire

Published Mar 1, 1981• 61 citations
Publisher

Abstract

We develop equations for the dynamic response of the non-linear Fabry-Perot, including a finite material response time. Our model demonstrates overshoot switching for rapid onset signals. This phenomenon makes possible several new effects: switching below steady-state intensity values, output response determined by input onset characteristics, pulse trains transmitted in four distinct modes including alternate switching, and input phase switching up as well as down. Our model also exhibits critical slowing down which occurs, in general, at unstable equilibrium output intensities. Finally, we include coupled nonlinear cavities and analyze a three-mixror configuration which produces pulsed outputs for appropriate CW inputs.

DOI
10.1109/jqe.1981.1071092

Related papers

Theoretical and experimental study of the dynamic behavior of a nonlinear Fabry-Perot interferrometer

T. Bischofberger, Y. Ron Shen

We have studied theoretically and experimentally the dynamic behavior of a nonlinear Fabry-Perot interferrometer filled with a Kerr medium. The Fabry-Perot responses ranging from extremely transient to quasi-steady-state in various modes of operation are considered. The experimental results are in excellent agreement with theory. It is shown that the quasi-steady-state operation requires not only a medium response time much smaller than the cavity round-trip time, but also a characteristic time of the input intensity variation several hundred times larger than the cavity round-trip time. Even in the quasi-steady-state limit, optical switching is often featured by overshoot and ringing after switching. The switching speed is limited by the cavity buildup time.

Physical Review A•Mar 1, 1979•140 citations

Dynamic Response of a Nonlinear Fabry-Perot Etalon for Various Medium Response Times

Ali Hassan Khidhir

In this work, the switching nonlinear dynamics of a Fabry-Perot etalon are studied. The method used to complete the solution of the differential equations for the nonlinear medium. The Debye relaxation equations solved numerically to predict the behavior of the cavity for modulated input power. The response of the cavity filled with materials of different response time is depicted. For a material with a response time equal to = 50 ns, the cavity switches after about (100 ns). Notice that there is always a finite time delay before the cavity switches. The switch up time is much longer than the cavity build-up time of the corresponding linear cavity which was found to be of the order of a few round-trip times. The slowing down of the cavity response occurs when the incident intensity is approximately equal to the critical switching intensity. This effect is called critical slowing down. As a result, the response of the cavity is much slower than what could be expected from the steady state analysis. The reflected intensity and the change in round-trip phase have similar dynamic response. In this research, the matlap programs are used to study the switching dynamics of a Fabry-Perot etalon.

Baghdad Science Journal•Mar 1, 2020•1 citation

Self-pulsing and transients of a Fabry–Perot interferometer with quadratic nonlinear medium

B. Wedding, Armin Gasch, D. Jäger

The dynamic properties of a Fabry–Perot interferometer filled with a material exhibiting second-order dispersive nonlinearity are studied both theoretically and experimentally. The response of the medium is described by an intensity dependent phase constant as derived from self-action effects. Considering two relaxation times, that of the material and that of the cavity, the basic relations for the stability analysis and for the numerical calculations are obtained. Bistability and self-pulsing effects are predicted. Moreover, the transient behavior is characterized by anomalous switching properties like overshoot and alternate switching. The corresponding experiments performed on a nonlinear transmission line resonator confirm the theoretical results. In a final discussion, the relations to the field of nonlinear optics are outlined.

Journal of Applied Physics•Sep 1, 1983•8 citations

Overshoot switching, alternate switching, and subharmonic generation in bistable optical devices

J. A. Goldstone, P.-T. Ho, E. Garmire

We demonstrate both experimentally and theoretically a new mode of transient switching using rapid-onset light signals in a bistable optical device with two comparable time constants. Four distinct transmission modes for input pulse trains have been observed, one of which produces a subharmonic of the input pulse train by alternate overshoot switching.

Applied Physics Letters•Jul 15, 1980•23 citations

Signal Processing With A Nonlinear Fabry-Perot

E. Garmire

In this paper we consider the nonlinear Fabry-Perot and its applications to optical signal and image processing. This paper addresses the signal processing aspects of a nonlinear Fabry-Perot interferometer with emphasis on image processing. The device geometry is shown in Figure 1. A thin nonlinear medium, whose refractive index is a function of the light intensity inside the Fabry-Perot is sandwiched between two plane parallel mirrors. The output as a function of input is shown in Fig. 2, for two different values of the difference between the Fabry-Perot low intensity resonance and the incident wavelength. The bistable curve in 2a is the origin of the term optical bistability and makes possible an optical memory, in which the output is a function of the history of the device. The Figure 2b represents a typical nonlinear transfer curve which may be used for signal processing. It can be seen that small changes in the input intensity Ic make large changes in the output intensity.

Proceedings of SPIE, the International Society for Optical Engineering/Proceedings of SPIE•Jul 29, 1981•4 citations

Possibility of positive-pulse switching in systems of nonlinear Fabry-Perot cavities

Kwongchoi Caisy Ho

The conventional way of using a nonlinear Fabry-Perot cavity as an optical memory requires a negative pulse input to reset the state of the cavity. The possibility of using positive pulses to turn a system of nonlinear Fabry-Perot cavities on and off is studied and it was found that positive pulse switching is possible in a system of two coupled nonlinear cavities. First, Korpel and Lohmann's proposal of using polarization switching in a single nonlinear birefringent cavity was studied. After a detailed investigation of their proposal it was found that positive pulse switching in a single nonlinear Fabry-Perot cavity is not possible. One of the reasons is that the eigen-polarization states of the output of a nonlinear Fabry-Perot cavity cannot be switched independently. Although it is not possible to switch a single nonlinear Fabry-Perot cavity with positive pulses we were able to use the coupling of the eigen-polarization states to implement other kinds of optical switches which were demonstrated experimentally. The cross-talk effect in a metallic Fabry-Perot cavity was also studied. Next, a steady state model of a system of two coupled nonlinear Fabry-Perot cavities was developed and it was found that positive pulse switching is possible in such a system. The output can be turned on and off either by pulses sent into different cavities or by pulses of different magnitudes sent into one cavity. Finally, the dynamic behavior of the coupled cavities system was modeled by extending Goldstone and Garmire's model of a single cavity with one input to a system of two coupled cavities with two inputs. We verified by numerical calculations that positive pulse switching is also possible in the dynamic regime.

•Dec 5, 1991•0 citations
We develop equations for the dynamic response of the non-linear Fabry-Perot, including a finite material response time. Our model demonstrates overshoot switching for rapid onset signals. This phenomenon makes possible several new effects: switching below steady-state intensity values, output response determined by input onset characteristics, pulse trains transmitted in four distinct modes including alternate switching, and input phase switching up as well as down. Our model also exhibits critical slowing down which occurs, in general, at unstable equilibrium output intensities. Finally, we include coupled nonlinear cavities and analyze a three-mixror configuration which produces pulsed outputs for appropriate CW inputs.
We have studied theoretically and experimentally the dynamic behavior of a nonlinear Fabry-Perot interferrometer filled with a Kerr medium. The Fabry-Perot responses ranging from extremely transient to quasi-steady-state in various modes of operation are considered. The experimental results are in excellent agreement with theory. It is shown that the quasi-steady-state operation requires not only a medium response time much smaller than the cavity round-trip time, but also a characteristic time of the input intensity variation several hundred times larger than the cavity round-trip time. Even in the quasi-steady-state limit, optical switching is often featured by overshoot and ringing after switching. The switching speed is limited by the cavity buildup time.
In this work, the switching nonlinear dynamics of a Fabry-Perot etalon are studied. The method used to complete the solution of the differential equations for the nonlinear medium. The Debye relaxation equations solved numerically to predict the behavior of the cavity for modulated input power. The response of the cavity filled with materials of different response time is depicted. For a material with a response time equal to = 50 ns, the cavity switches after about (100 ns). Notice that there is always a finite time delay before the cavity switches. The switch up time is much longer than the cavity build-up time of the corresponding linear cavity which was found to be of the order of a few round-trip times. The slowing down of the cavity response occurs when the incident intensity is approximately equal to the critical switching intensity. This effect is called critical slowing down. As a result, the response of the cavity is much slower than what could be expected from the steady state analysis. The reflected intensity and the change in round-trip phase have similar dynamic response. In this research, the matlap programs are used to study the switching dynamics of a Fabry-Perot etalon.
The dynamic properties of a Fabry–Perot interferometer filled with a material exhibiting second-order dispersive nonlinearity are studied both theoretically and experimentally. The response of the medium is described by an intensity dependent phase constant as derived from self-action effects. Considering two relaxation times, that of the material and that of the cavity, the basic relations for the stability analysis and for the numerical calculations are obtained. Bistability and self-pulsing effects are predicted. Moreover, the transient behavior is characterized by anomalous switching properties like overshoot and alternate switching. The corresponding experiments performed on a nonlinear transmission line resonator confirm the theoretical results. In a final discussion, the relations to the field of nonlinear optics are outlined.
In this paper we consider the nonlinear Fabry-Perot and its applications to optical signal and image processing. This paper addresses the signal processing aspects of a nonlinear Fabry-Perot interferometer with emphasis on image processing. The device geometry is shown in Figure 1. A thin nonlinear medium, whose refractive index is a function of the light intensity inside the Fabry-Perot is sandwiched between two plane parallel mirrors. The output as a function of input is shown in Fig. 2, for two different values of the difference between the Fabry-Perot low intensity resonance and the incident wavelength. The bistable curve in 2a is the origin of the term optical bistability and makes possible an optical memory, in which the output is a function of the history of the device. The Figure 2b represents a typical nonlinear transfer curve which may be used for signal processing. It can be seen that small changes in the input intensity Ic make large changes in the output intensity.
The conventional way of using a nonlinear Fabry-Perot cavity as an optical memory requires a negative pulse input to reset the state of the cavity. The possibility of using positive pulses to turn a system of nonlinear Fabry-Perot cavities on and off is studied and it was found that positive pulse switching is possible in a system of two coupled nonlinear cavities. First, Korpel and Lohmann's proposal of using polarization switching in a single nonlinear birefringent cavity was studied. After a detailed investigation of their proposal it was found that positive pulse switching in a single nonlinear Fabry-Perot cavity is not possible. One of the reasons is that the eigen-polarization states of the output of a nonlinear Fabry-Perot cavity cannot be switched independently. Although it is not possible to switch a single nonlinear Fabry-Perot cavity with positive pulses we were able to use the coupling of the eigen-polarization states to implement other kinds of optical switches which were demonstrated experimentally. The cross-talk effect in a metallic Fabry-Perot cavity was also studied. Next, a steady state model of a system of two coupled nonlinear Fabry-Perot cavities was developed and it was found that positive pulse switching is possible in such a system. The output can be turned on and off either by pulses sent into different cavities or by pulses of different magnitudes sent into one cavity. Finally, the dynamic behavior of the coupled cavities system was modeled by extending Goldstone and Garmire's model of a single cavity with one input to a system of two coupled cavities with two inputs. We verified by numerical calculations that positive pulse switching is also possible in the dynamic regime.