© 2026 Aqora Quantum S.A.S.

Terms Privacy Legal Notice

Journal of the Optical Society of America B

Simultaneous nonlinear polarization rotation and dispersive optical bistability: theoretical and experimental analysis

Saif A. Al Graiti, Aiswarya Kannan, Claudio E. Ippolito, Drew N. Maywar

Published Nov 25, 2019• 3 citations

Abstract

We study the simultaneous occurrence of dispersive optical bistability and nonlinear polarization rotation in a nonlinear photonic resonator. The demonstrated bistable hysteresis curves of the Stokes parameters broaden the notion of optical bistability in nonlinear resonators beyond that of the traditional optical-power hysteresis curve. We present a theoretical model to fully understand the polarization hysteresis curves observed in the laboratory and to establish the relevant scaling parameters for bistable action. By optimizing the optical-signal power injected into each polarization mode of the resonator and optimizing the small-signal birefringence of the resonator by selection of the signal wavelength, a polarization rotation of 30% orthogonality was achieved between stable polarization states in the lab. The theoretical and experimental methods reported here are carried out for the case of a Fabry–Perot semiconductor optical amplifier, and are extendable to the investigation of simultaneous occurrence of these phenomena in other nonlinear media (such as Kerr media) and other photonic resonators.

DOI: 10.1364/josab.36.003562

Related papers

Demonstration of simultaneous nonlinear polarization rotation and dispersive bistability

Drew N. Maywar, Saif A. Al Graiti

We experimentally demonstrate the simultaneous occurrence of two nonlinear optical phenomena – nonlinear polarization rotation and dispersive optical bistabilty. The Stokes parameters exhibit bistable hystereses corresponding to a measured orthogonality of 30%.

Nonlinear Optics•Jan 1, 2019•2 citations

Optical bistability using a Fabry–Perot semiconductor-laser amplifier with two holding beams

Hitoshi Kawaguchi, Kyo Inoue, Hiroyuki Tani

Bistable switching of an optical signal beam by a control beam with a different wavelength, using the nonlinearity of a Fabry-Perot semiconductor-laser amplifier, is reported for the first time to the authors' knowledge. Depending on the initial detuning of the optical signal beam, both normal (counterclockwise) and reverse (clockwise) hysteresis are theoretically and experimentally obtained in the signal output power as a function of the control input power.

Optics Letters•Jul 1, 1987•32 citations

Downstream hysteresis-shape control of a bistable optical signal created by an upstream nonlinear photonic resonator

Saif A. Al Graiti, Drew N. Maywar

We experimentally demonstrate the control of the hysteresis shape of a bistable optical signal at a location downstream of the nonlinear photonic resonator within which the bistability is generated; this shape control mechanism is performed without any signal sent upstream to the bistable system. The downstream shape-control element consists of a fiber-optic polarization controller and linear polarizer in series, and the nonlinear resonator generates an optical signal whose bistable branches exhibit different states of power and polarization. The diversity of demonstrated hysteresis shapes include the canonical counter-clockwise (CCW) shape (S-shape), the clockwise (CW) shape (inverted S-shape), and butterfly shapes; since all shapes originate from the same bistable signal, all shapes exhibit the same switching input powers. Moreover, the shape-selection process enhances the bistable switching contrast to 20 and 21 dB for the CCW and CW shapes, respectively. The shape-selection technique is demonstrated using a Fabry-Pérot semiconductor optical amplifier, is applicable to other nonlinear photonic resonators, and provides flexibility to future combinational and sequential all-optical signal processing applications.

Optics Express•Dec 9, 2019•5 citations

Bistability observed in a Fabry–Perot interferometer with quadratic nonlinear medium

B. Wedding, D. Jäger

Bistability due to a second-order dispersive nonlinearity in a Fabry–Perot resonator is studied. The experiments are performed on a nonlinear transmission line resonator. Nonlinear resonance curves, bistability as well as instabilities, and the generation of harmonics are observed. The theoretical treatment of bistability is based upon a nonlinear dispersion relation as derived from an inspection of two interacting harmonics or, in a second approach, of propagating solitons.

Applied Physics Letters•Dec 1, 1982•17 citations

Optical bistability and nonlinear resonance in a resonant-type semiconductor laser amplifier

Kenju Otsuka, Soichi Kobayashi

We report here on the first observation of hysteresis in the asymmetrical tuning curve of a semiconductor laser operating as a resonant-type amplifier. This bistable amplification resulting from a nonlinear resonance phenomenon is caused by the dependence of the refractive index on the injected carrier density.

Electronics Letters•Mar 31, 1983•84 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

We study the simultaneous occurrence of dispersive optical bistability and nonlinear polarization rotation in a nonlinear photonic resonator. The demonstrated bistable hysteresis curves of the Stokes parameters broaden the notion of optical bistability in nonlinear resonators beyond that of the traditional optical-power hysteresis curve. We present a theoretical model to fully understand the polarization hysteresis curves observed in the laboratory and to establish the relevant scaling parameters for bistable action. By optimizing the optical-signal power injected into each polarization mode of the resonator and optimizing the small-signal birefringence of the resonator by selection of the signal wavelength, a polarization rotation of 30% orthogonality was achieved between stable polarization states in the lab. The theoretical and experimental methods reported here are carried out for the case of a Fabry–Perot semiconductor optical amplifier, and are extendable to the investigation of simultaneous occurrence of these phenomena in other nonlinear media (such as Kerr media) and other photonic resonators.

We experimentally demonstrate the control of the hysteresis shape of a bistable optical signal at a location downstream of the nonlinear photonic resonator within which the bistability is generated; this shape control mechanism is performed without any signal sent upstream to the bistable system. The downstream shape-control element consists of a fiber-optic polarization controller and linear polarizer in series, and the nonlinear resonator generates an optical signal whose bistable branches exhibit different states of power and polarization. The diversity of demonstrated hysteresis shapes include the canonical counter-clockwise (CCW) shape (S-shape), the clockwise (CW) shape (inverted S-shape), and butterfly shapes; since all shapes originate from the same bistable signal, all shapes exhibit the same switching input powers. Moreover, the shape-selection process enhances the bistable switching contrast to 20 and 21 dB for the CCW and CW shapes, respectively. The shape-selection technique is demonstrated using a Fabry-Pérot semiconductor optical amplifier, is applicable to other nonlinear photonic resonators, and provides flexibility to future combinational and sequential all-optical signal processing applications.

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.