Computer architectures based on optical bistable devices (A)

B. Ullrich, Takayoshi Kobayashi

Brian S. Wherrett, Yuk Tak Chow, A. K. Darzi +1 more

Nonlinear interference filters and liquid crystal cells for low power optical bistability are reviewed.The use of filters for prototype optical circuitry and a proposed cellular-logic-image-processing architecture are described

P. W. E. Smith

Denis V. Novitsky, Alexander Sergeevich Shalin

Optical bistability is the basic nonlinear phenomenon mediating the control of light by light, being of ultimate demand for a plethora of applications in laser information technologies. The two most general designs are driven by the presence or absence of an external feedback, among which the mirrorless architecture seems promising, being free of bulky mirrors, resonant cavities, photonic crystals, etc. In this Letter, we propose a method to achieve optical quasi-bistability governed by the formation of specific nonlinear waveforms called “kinks.” We show that a thin layer of the relatively dilute resonant medium specially designed to support kinks could serve as a platform for compact, ultrafast, low-power optical switching. This mechanism does not require high densities of resonant particles specific for the feedback-free devices driven by dipole–dipole interactions, and enhances the overall practical relevance of such devices for optical computing.

P. Wheatley, John Edwin Midwinter

Adolf W. Lohmann, Demetri Psaltis, Stanley Desmond Smith +2 more

The topical meeting on Optical Bistability provided an international interdisciplinary forum for the exchange of knowledge on the progress of various aspects of optical bistability and optical nonlinearities. The three day program addressed six key areas: 1) Optical bistability in various materials; physics and applications; optical logic gates; etalon and waveguide devices; 2) New schemes and models for optical bistability, including increasing absorption, polarization, crosstrapping bistability, and bistability with surface plasmons; 3) Transverse and longitudinal effects including diffusion, conduction, diffraction, and absorption; 4) Instabilities, noise, fluctuations, and optical chaos; 5) Optical nonlinearities and optical materials including organic, liquid crystal, and semiconductor and photorefractive materials; and 6) Optical computing including architecture, cascading problems, parallel operations, and associate memory phenomena. A total of 97 papers were presented during the three day meeting. Keywords: Symposia abstracts; Nonlinear optical materials; Optoelectronics; Nonlinear guided waves; Chaos and instabilities.