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

Annual Meeting Optical Society of America

Bistable oscillations with a passive phase conjugator

Sze-Keung Kwong, Amnon Yariv

Published Jan 1, 1985• 0 citations
Publisher

Abstract

When a passive phase conjugate mirror (PPCM) is conjugating an incident beam, a phase conjugate oscillation can be obtained by placing a mirror near to the PPCM. By placing an additional mirror adjacent to the first mirror, two oscillations can be observed. If we consider these two oscillations as two states of the system, the system exhibits interesting bistable behavior: the presence of one oscillation will prevent the other oscillation building up and vice versa. The system will remain in that state unless it is being disturbed, for example, blocking the oscillation by a piece of paper, then the system switches to the other state and remains in that state even after that piece of paper is removed. The switching between states can also be controlled by an external control beam. A theoretical model based on the threshold of oscillation is proposed. This device has potential application in bistable switches and associative memories.

DOI
10.1364/oam.1985.thu3

Related papers

Bistable phase-conjugate resonator using an intracavity saturable absorber

M. B. Klein, Gilmore J. Dunning, Stephen W. McCahon +1 more

Phase-conjugate resonators have several attractive properties for image processing and storage. In the work described here, we demonstrate improved thresholding and storage properties of a phase-conjugate resonator (PCR) by the addition of an intracavity saturable absorber. It can be shown that the resonator will be bistable if (1) the small-signal absorption of the saturable absorber exceeds the small-signal gain of the phase-conjugate mirror, and (2) the absorption saturates more readily than the gain (i.e., reflectivity) of the PCM. Recently, a saturable absorber was used inside a PCR to control the transverse modes,1 but no evidence of bistability was obtained. In our experiment, we used a PCR bounded at one end by a conventional mirror and at the other end by an externally pumped BaTiO3 PCM. The saturable absorber was a solid film of fluorescein- doped boric acid glass.2 By adjustment of the total intensity and beam ratio at the PCM, we were able to demonstrate bistability. The input in our experiment was an incoherent control beam incident noncollinearly onto the intracavity saturable absorber. In the absence of a control beam, no oscillation was observed. When the control beam was turned on, the resonator switched to the on state in ~5 sec. The control beam could then be removed, and the cavity oscillation continued. To return to the off state, the resonator path was blocked.

Annual Meeting Optical Society of America•Jan 1, 1991•0 citations

Passive phase conjugate mirror based on self-induced oscillation in an optical ring cavity

Mark Cronin‐Golomb, Baruch Fischer, Jeffrey Owen White +1 more

A passive phase conjugate mirror based on four-wave mixing in an optical ring cavity is described. Unlike previously demonstrated passive phase conjugate mirrors it generates only one of its pumping beams by nonlinear optical interactions, the other being provided by feedback of the probe after transmission through the nonlinear medium. The results of a theory yielding phase conjugate reflectivity and oscillation thresholds are presented together with an experimental demonstration of phase conjugation in barium titanate and strontium barium niobate. The device is self-starting by four-wave mixing, and has an oscillation threshold lower than that of other previously demonstrated passive phase conjugate mirrors with similar ease of alignment. The operation of a device which generates nonconjugate oscillation beams is also reported.

Applied Physics Letters•Jun 1, 1983•111 citations

Optical thresholding and switching using a fiber-coupled phase-conjugate mirror

Ram Yahalom, Avigail Yariv

A fiber-coupled-ring passive phase-conjugate mirror is used to achieve mutual thresholding free of bistability effects and to obtain switching among several mutually incoherent light beams.

Optics Letters•Oct 1, 1988•4 citations

Phase conjugate resonators and bistabilities in BaTiO3

Mostafa Dokhanian, Putcha Venkateswarlu, P. Chandra Sekhar

We report our observations of optical bistabilities and hysteresis1 in photorefractive passive phase conjugate resonators with BaTiO3, caused by grating erasure effects between two resonators in three different configurations. Bistable oscillations have been observed between two semilinear oscillators, two ring resonators, and also between a ring and a semilinear resonator. In the experimental arrangement used for bistability studies, a single-mode argon ion laser beam (4880 Å) entered the crystal in a face appropriate for self-pumped phase conjugation. However, the orientation is kept in such a way that no self-pumped phase conjugation is observable if none of the resonators is in operation. In this geometry, bistability and hysteresis were observed in the signal intensity of one resonator as the reflectivity of the variable beam reflector in the second resonator was increased and then decreased in a cycle. Bistability was also seen in the signal intensity of a single resonator as a function of the reflectivity of the external mirror.

Annual Meeting Optical Society of America•Jan 1, 1991•0 citations

Optical bistability and hysteresis with a photorefractive self-pumped phase conjugate mirror

Sze-Keung Kwong, Mark Cronin‐Golomb, Amnon Yariv

Bistability and hysteresis have been observed in a photorefractive passive phase conjugate mirror. A threshold basis for the effect is presented and the results of an experimental demonstration of the device are given.

Applied Physics Letters•Nov 15, 1984•58 citations

Phase Conjugate Resonators and Bistable Oscillations in BaTiO3

Putcha Venkateswarlu, Mostafa Dokhanian, P. Chandra Sekhar +2 more

Kwang and Yariv(1) used a single domain BaTiO3 crystal to form a ring passive phase conjugator (RPPC) and auxiliary resonators pumped by a multi-mode Ar+ laser at 4880Å. The auxiliary resonators were bistable. Jagannath et. Al(2) from this laboratory, reported the operation of a unidirectional ring resonator (UDRR) in addition to the RPPC and found bistability between the two. They also observed a linear passive phase conjugator (LPPC) which is bistable with the RPPC. It was found that auxiliary oxci nations between the crystal and a mirror are bistable separately with the UDRR and the LPPC.

Photorefractive Effects, Materials, and Devices•Jan 1, 1990•0 citations
When a passive phase conjugate mirror (PPCM) is conjugating an incident beam, a phase conjugate oscillation can be obtained by placing a mirror near to the PPCM. By placing an additional mirror adjacent to the first mirror, two oscillations can be observed. If we consider these two oscillations as two states of the system, the system exhibits interesting bistable behavior: the presence of one oscillation will prevent the other oscillation building up and vice versa. The system will remain in that state unless it is being disturbed, for example, blocking the oscillation by a piece of paper, then the system switches to the other state and remains in that state even after that piece of paper is removed. The switching between states can also be controlled by an external control beam. A theoretical model based on the threshold of oscillation is proposed. This device has potential application in bistable switches and associative memories.
Phase-conjugate resonators have several attractive properties for image processing and storage. In the work described here, we demonstrate improved thresholding and storage properties of a phase-conjugate resonator (PCR) by the addition of an intracavity saturable absorber. It can be shown that the resonator will be bistable if (1) the small-signal absorption of the saturable absorber exceeds the small-signal gain of the phase-conjugate mirror, and (2) the absorption saturates more readily than the gain (i.e., reflectivity) of the PCM. Recently, a saturable absorber was used inside a PCR to control the transverse modes,1 but no evidence of bistability was obtained. In our experiment, we used a PCR bounded at one end by a conventional mirror and at the other end by an externally pumped BaTiO3 PCM. The saturable absorber was a solid film of fluorescein- doped boric acid glass.2 By adjustment of the total intensity and beam ratio at the PCM, we were able to demonstrate bistability. The input in our experiment was an incoherent control beam incident noncollinearly onto the intracavity saturable absorber. In the absence of a control beam, no oscillation was observed. When the control beam was turned on, the resonator switched to the on state in ~5 sec. The control beam could then be removed, and the cavity oscillation continued. To return to the off state, the resonator path was blocked.
A passive phase conjugate mirror based on four-wave mixing in an optical ring cavity is described. Unlike previously demonstrated passive phase conjugate mirrors it generates only one of its pumping beams by nonlinear optical interactions, the other being provided by feedback of the probe after transmission through the nonlinear medium. The results of a theory yielding phase conjugate reflectivity and oscillation thresholds are presented together with an experimental demonstration of phase conjugation in barium titanate and strontium barium niobate. The device is self-starting by four-wave mixing, and has an oscillation threshold lower than that of other previously demonstrated passive phase conjugate mirrors with similar ease of alignment. The operation of a device which generates nonconjugate oscillation beams is also reported.
We report our observations of optical bistabilities and hysteresis1 in photorefractive passive phase conjugate resonators with BaTiO3, caused by grating erasure effects between two resonators in three different configurations. Bistable oscillations have been observed between two semilinear oscillators, two ring resonators, and also between a ring and a semilinear resonator. In the experimental arrangement used for bistability studies, a single-mode argon ion laser beam (4880 Å) entered the crystal in a face appropriate for self-pumped phase conjugation. However, the orientation is kept in such a way that no self-pumped phase conjugation is observable if none of the resonators is in operation. In this geometry, bistability and hysteresis were observed in the signal intensity of one resonator as the reflectivity of the variable beam reflector in the second resonator was increased and then decreased in a cycle. Bistability was also seen in the signal intensity of a single resonator as a function of the reflectivity of the external mirror.
Kwang and Yariv(1) used a single domain BaTiO3 crystal to form a ring passive phase conjugator (RPPC) and auxiliary resonators pumped by a multi-mode Ar+ laser at 4880Å. The auxiliary resonators were bistable. Jagannath et. Al(2) from this laboratory, reported the operation of a unidirectional ring resonator (UDRR) in addition to the RPPC and found bistability between the two. They also observed a linear passive phase conjugator (LPPC) which is bistable with the RPPC. It was found that auxiliary oxci nations between the crystal and a mirror are bistable separately with the UDRR and the LPPC.