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

Applied Physics Letters

Optical transistor

Kanti Jain, George W. Pratt

Published Jun 15, 1976• 41 citations
Publisher

Abstract

A device is proposed which is the optical analog of the transistor wherein a weak incoming optical signal directly controls a strong outgoing optical signal. The basic principle utilized in the proposed device is the strong dependence of second harmonic generation on the phase-matching condition. A weak incoming signal can perturb the indices of refraction in a birefringent material so that the second harmonic power derived from a pump beam is significantly affected. Large incremental power gain is shown to be possible. Tellurium is considered as an example.

DOI
10.1063/1.88627

Related papers

Phase-Insensitive, Single Wavelength, All-Optical Transistor Based on Cascaded Second-Order Nonlinearities

Z. Wang, David J. Hagan, Sunggeon Kim +2 more

The resurgence of interest in cascaded second order nonlinearities[1,2] has resulted in several schemes for applying cascading in second-harmonic generating (SHG) crystals to optical transistor-like devices [3-7], Such devices allow a weak signal beam to impose a large amplitude modulation on a strong “pump” beam, through mixing in a χ(2) crystal. However, all of the devices reported to date require the pump and signal beams to be temporally coherent, as the process is strongly dependent on the phase between these two beams. There have been some suggestions[6,7] that type II phasematched SHG may remove phase sensitivity, but the devices proposed still require that the signal must be in phase with approximately half of the pump intensity. In this letter, we describe how one may properly exploit type II phase matching to produce a truly phase-insensitive all-optical transistor (AOT) based on second order nonlinearities.

Nonlinear Optics•Jan 1, 1996•1 citation

All-optical high gain transistor action using second-order nonlinearities

Philip St.J. Russell

It is shown that the output stage of a phase-matched frequency doubler is highly sensitive to the phase and amplitude of a weak injected second harmonic signal. Such devices may be regarded as all-optical transistors with very high small signal gain, resulting in strong modulation of the pump light. Gains as high as 60 dB appear to be experimentally feasible in the recently reported highly efficient quasi-phasematched frequency doublers formed by periodic domain inversion in LiNbO3.

Electronics Letters•Jun 24, 1993•52 citations

Photonic band gap materials: towards an all-optical transistor

Marian Florescu A

The transmission of information as optical signals encoded on light waves traveling through optical fibers and optical networks is increasingly moving to shorter and shorter distance scales. In the near future, optical networking is poised to supersede conventional transmission over electric wires and electronic networks for computer-to-computer communications, chip-to-chip communications, and even on-chip communications. The ever-increasing demand for faster and more reliable devices to process the optical signals offers new opportunities in developing all-optical signal processing systems (systems in which one optical signal controls another, thereby adding "intelligence" to the optical networks). All-optical switches, two-state and many-state all-optical memories, all-optical limiters, all-optical discriminators and all-optical transistors are only a few of the many devices proposed during the last two decades. The "all-optical" label is commonly used to distinguish the devices that do not involve dissipative electronic transport and require essentially no electrical communication of information. The all-optical transistor action was first observed in the context of optical bistability [1] and consists in a strong differential gain regime, in which, for small variations in the input intensity, the output intensity has a very strong variation. This analog operation is for all-optical input what transistor action is for electrical inputs.

Opto-Canada: SPIE Regional Meeting on Optoelectronics, Photonics, and Imaging•Aug 29, 2017•0 citations

All-optical passive transistor

Sarang Medhekar, Ram Krishna Sarkar

We show the possibility of developing an all-optical passive transistor in a simple and novel way. This could be done by copropagating two coaxial beams through a modified optical power filter. We show NOT logic and intensity modulation of the strong beam by the weak beam obtained with the analog.

Optics Letters•Apr 15, 2005•36 citations

Optical transistors based on second-order nonlinearities

Sungwon Kim

Journal of International Crisis and Risk Communication Research•Aug 1, 1997•0 citations

OPTICAL TRANSISTORS WITH NEGATIVE FEEDBACK

Paul Mandel, Stanley Desmond Smith

We propose to feed back the beam reflected by an optical transistor to provide a stabilising negative feedback loop. We demonstrate theoretically that the resulting device is less sensitive to noise fluctuations.

Le Journal de Physique Colloques•Jun 1, 1988•0 citations
A device is proposed which is the optical analog of the transistor wherein a weak incoming optical signal directly controls a strong outgoing optical signal. The basic principle utilized in the proposed device is the strong dependence of second harmonic generation on the phase-matching condition. A weak incoming signal can perturb the indices of refraction in a birefringent material so that the second harmonic power derived from a pump beam is significantly affected. Large incremental power gain is shown to be possible. Tellurium is considered as an example.
The resurgence of interest in cascaded second order nonlinearities[1,2] has resulted in several schemes for applying cascading in second-harmonic generating (SHG) crystals to optical transistor-like devices [3-7], Such devices allow a weak signal beam to impose a large amplitude modulation on a strong “pump” beam, through mixing in a χ(2) crystal. However, all of the devices reported to date require the pump and signal beams to be temporally coherent, as the process is strongly dependent on the phase between these two beams. There have been some suggestions[6,7] that type II phasematched SHG may remove phase sensitivity, but the devices proposed still require that the signal must be in phase with approximately half of the pump intensity. In this letter, we describe how one may properly exploit type II phase matching to produce a truly phase-insensitive all-optical transistor (AOT) based on second order nonlinearities.
The transmission of information as optical signals encoded on light waves traveling through optical fibers and optical networks is increasingly moving to shorter and shorter distance scales. In the near future, optical networking is poised to supersede conventional transmission over electric wires and electronic networks for computer-to-computer communications, chip-to-chip communications, and even on-chip communications. The ever-increasing demand for faster and more reliable devices to process the optical signals offers new opportunities in developing all-optical signal processing systems (systems in which one optical signal controls another, thereby adding "intelligence" to the optical networks). All-optical switches, two-state and many-state all-optical memories, all-optical limiters, all-optical discriminators and all-optical transistors are only a few of the many devices proposed during the last two decades. The "all-optical" label is commonly used to distinguish the devices that do not involve dissipative electronic transport and require essentially no electrical communication of information. The all-optical transistor action was first observed in the context of optical bistability [1] and consists in a strong differential gain regime, in which, for small variations in the input intensity, the output intensity has a very strong variation. This analog operation is for all-optical input what transistor action is for electrical inputs.