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IEEE Journal of Quantum Electronics

Thermally induced optical bistability in thin film devices

I. Jánossy, Mohammad Reza Taghizadeh, Jinesh Mathew, S. Smith

Published Sep 1, 1985• 71 citations
Publisher

Abstract

A simple theoretical model describing thermally induced optical bistability is discussed. Results of experimental studies of optical bistability in ZnSe interference filters near the band edge are in good agreement with the predictions of this model.
DOI
10.1109/jqe.1985.1072840

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The switching dynamics of thermally induced optical bistability in ZnSe nonlinear interference filters is investigated experimentally and theoretically. The device, maintained on its low transmission level by a cw argon laser beam, is switched on its high transmission level by an external light pulse. Either a very fast switching or an important slowing down are obtained when the holding cw intensity or the switching pulse energy are well chosen. This variation of the switching times is analyzed theoretically and observed experimentally.
Refractive changes in semiconductors used in optical bistability are induced as a result of excitations generated by intense light levels. To date such excitations have been either electronic (carriers excited to higher energy states) as in InSb or thermal as in ZnSe. Usually such refractive index changes are small and it is necessary to introduce some form of optical feedback in order to obtain a useful change in the output signal. Various configurations which provide optical feedback are examined and the optimisation for low switching power levels is addressed.