Conference on Lasers and Electro-Optics

Recent advances in optical testability

Nasser N. Peyghambarian

Published Jan 1, 1986• 0 citations

Abstract

Optical bistability can be obtained in nonlinear materials either with Fabry-Perot mirrors or without external feedback. When a material is placed between partially reflecting mirrors, a nonlinear Fabry-Perot etalon is formed with the etalon providing an external feedback. Optical bistability and gating occur as a result of a shift in the Fabry-Perot peak when the light intensity is increased (or when a second laser beam is introduced into the cavity). Optical bistability with the external feedback mechanism has been observed in many semiconductors such as bulk GaAs, GaAs-AIGaAs multiple-quantum-well (MQW) structures, InSb, InAs, CdS, CdHgTe, GaSe, and CuCI.

DOI: 10.1364/cleo.1986.mb1

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