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

Topical Meeting on Optical Bistability (OB)

Regenerative Oscillations and Dispersive-Absorptive Optical Hysteresises with Peculiar Regions in Semiconductor Interferometers

A V Grigor'yants, Yu. A. Rzhanov, Yu. I. Balkareǐ, Matvey I. Elinson

Published Jan 1, 1988• 0 citations
Publisher

Abstract

We consider semiconductor Fabry-Perot interferometer (FBI) where interband free carriers photogeneration and heating due to recombination make a different sign contribution to the refractive index and temperature shift of band edge results in induced absorption. Such situation is realized in a number of semiconductors which demonstrate optical bistability (OB). Using the parameters of InSb /1,2/ we have numerically investigated transformation of steady input-output characteristic IO(Iin) under variation of initial detuning δo of FPI. Different δo leads to the following characteristics: dispersive-absorptive hysteresis of "butterfly"-type /3/; "butterfly"-type hysteresis with unstable regions corresponding to McCall’s regenerative oscillations (RO) /4/; single-valued characteristic with region of RO; as well as characteristic containing region of RO and absorptive OB with sharp decreasing of output intensity IO at forward switching. The limits of changing of input intensity Iin, δo and characteristic thermal time are found, where RO and OB of dispersive and absorptive type are exist.

DOI
10.1364/obi.1988.we.2

Related papers

Transverse Traveling Pulses in Bistable Interferometers with Competing Nonlinearities

Yu. A. Rzhanov, A V Grigor'yants, Yu. I. Balkareǐ +1 more

We have numerically investigated the dynamics of initiation and propagation of traveling pulses (TP) in the semiconductor interferometer with two competing mechanisms of nonlinear refraction, connected with interband free carriers photogeneration and semiconductor heating. The possibility of existence of TP, which represent the novel type of transverse effects in optical bistability, have been predicted in our recent work /1/. TP are realized under pumping intensity close to the threshold of originating of McCall’s type regenerative oscillations (RO) /1,2/, when interferometer responds to a weak additional signal by single optical pulse with standard shape (regime of single-shot multivibrator /1,3/ ). If transverse dimentions of the interferometer are large enough, then under constant plane-wave pumping and additional local lighting the optical- carrier density TP arises. TP has sharp forward and backward fronts and moves across pumping beam with constant velocity due to carrier diffusion. After the passage of traveling pulse the system returns back to initial homogeneous steady state. Changing parameters of the interferometer or pumping intensity, we can obtain TP with increased or decreased transmission (direct or inverted TP), each of them can be initiated by lokal increasing or decreasing of input intensity. If interferometer is pumped by beam with Gaussian profile, the thentral - intensive part of the beam can corresponds to RO while the beam periphery- to the single--shot regime. In this case the central part of the beam serves as a periodic source of TP, moving towards beam periphery. The contraversal situation is possible, when the periphery of Gaussian beam corresponds to the RO, while the central part - to the single-shot regime. In this case TP are periodically spontaneously initiated at the beam periphery and move to the beam center. Two TP annihilate after collision. In the both cases profile of transmitted beam periodically changes. All regimes described above have been found by numerical simulation using interferometer parameters close to InSb /4/.

Topical Meeting on Optical Bistability (OB)•Jan 1, 1988•0 citations

Spontaneous oscillations, single pulses, and transient processes in multistage interferometers with competing nonlinearities

A V Grigor'yants, Yu. A. Rzhanov, Yu. I. Balkareǐ +1 more

A numerical investigation was made of a mathematical model describing the dynamics of a semiconductor Fabry–Perot interferometer with competing carrier-density and thermal mechanisms of nonlinear refraction and with absorption that increases on increase in temperature. The first-ever investigations were made of the following topics: spontaneous oscillations of the transmission near various equilibrium conditions and switching from one limit cycle to another; generation of single pulses in response to weak additional illumination in the case of a monostable optical multivibrator; nonmonotonic transient processes during switching. The proposed model made it possible to study the transition of a dispersive optical bistability to spontaneous oscillations and then to an absorptive bistability (breakdown) as a result of variation of the parameters of the system.

Soviet Journal of Quantum Electronics•Oct 31, 1987•2 citations

Reflective bistability in 1.55 μm laser diode amplifiers

Paradorn Pakdeevanich, M.J. Adams

Bistable laser amplifiers are attractive for potential application in optical switching because of very low input optical requirement, high extinction ratio and the presence of optical gain. Optical bistability (OB) arises from gain saturation and the associated nonlinear refraction combined with the effect of feedback in the laser cavity. We present the experimental results of bistable characteristics for the case of a 1.55 /spl mu/m symmetric Fabry-Perot (F-P) laser amplifier with uncoated facets. This paper reports a particularly rich variety of behaviour for reflected signals. Three main forms of hysteresis loops are observed on reflection. The hysteresis loop changes from anticlockwise to clockwise hysteresis in the optical input-output characteristic when the drive current or initial phase detuning is changed. The butterfly hysteresis loop is observed experimentally at optical input power as low as 260 /spl mu/W for a drive current equal to 90% of the lasing threshold. The dependence of the optical bistability on drive current, initial phase detuning and injected optical power has been investigated. In the bistable light output-initial phase detuning characteristic, the optimum frequency is shifted downward with an increase in the injected power or the drive current. All measurements are in good agreement with an analytical model.

•Jan 1, 1998•0 citations

Optical Bistability

Guang S. He

When the output parameter of an optical device could be a multivalued function of the input parameter, this device can be working in an optical bistable status. The most typical optical bistable device is a Fabry–Perot cavity containing a nonlinear optical medium, the refractive index of which depends on the light intensity. Upon the action of an intense input optical beam, the transmitted (or reflected) intensity of this device may exhibit a nonlinear response to the incident light intensity variation and, especially under appropriate working conditions, the characteristic output/input curve may manifest a single (or multiple) hysteresis loop(s). Such type of optical bistable device can be used as an optical differential amplifier, optical switch, optical limiter, optical clipper, optical discriminator, or an optical memory element, depending on the chosen nonlinear medium and operation conditions.

Oxford University Press eBooks•Oct 30, 2014•1 citation

Pit Bistable optical devices: physical processes and practical applications

David A. B. Miller

Optical bistability (OB) can be defined as the existence of two stable states for one set of optical input conditions. It can be seen in many different systems which generally combine some microscopic nonlinearity (e.g., intensity-dependent refractive index) with some macroscopic feedback (e.g., a Fabry-Perot cavity). OB shows not only hysteresis but also switching transitions. By adjusting the degree of feedback various related effects are also possible (e.g., optical limiters, optical transistors, and several kinds of oscillation phenomena).

Conference on Lasers and Electro-Optics•Jan 1, 1982•0 citations

Optical Bistability And Transphasor Action In Semiconductors

David A. B. Miller, C. T. Seaton, Stanley Desmond Smith

We report the realisation of optically bistable switching and memory elements, and the transphasor Can all-optical transistor) in simple one element nonlinear Fabry-Perot interferometers made from the semiconductor InSb. These devices, which operate at 5 K and 77 K with mW powers from a cw CO laser between 5 and 6 μm rely on a strongly intensity-dependent refractive index discovered near the bandgap region of InSb and explained by bandgap resonant saturation. Switching speeds are shown to be < 500 ns in these first devices and operation to much shorter timescales is predicted. Operation at room temperature and in other semiconductors at other wavelengths remains a possibility and such devices offer considerable potential for all-optical switching in integrated optics and laser pulse control.

Proceedings of SPIE, the International Society for Optical Engineering/Proceedings of SPIE•May 15, 1981•1 citation
We consider semiconductor Fabry-Perot interferometer (FBI) where interband free carriers photogeneration and heating due to recombination make a different sign contribution to the refractive index and temperature shift of band edge results in induced absorption. Such situation is realized in a number of semiconductors which demonstrate optical bistability (OB). Using the parameters of InSb /1,2/ we have numerically investigated transformation of steady input-output characteristic IO(Iin) under variation of initial detuning δo of FPI. Different δo leads to the following characteristics: dispersive-absorptive hysteresis of "butterfly"-type /3/; "butterfly"-type hysteresis with unstable regions corresponding to McCall’s regenerative oscillations (RO) /4/; single-valued characteristic with region of RO; as well as characteristic containing region of RO and absorptive OB with sharp decreasing of output intensity IO at forward switching. The limits of changing of input intensity Iin, δo and characteristic thermal time are found, where RO and OB of dispersive and absorptive type are exist.
We have numerically investigated the dynamics of initiation and propagation of traveling pulses (TP) in the semiconductor interferometer with two competing mechanisms of nonlinear refraction, connected with interband free carriers photogeneration and semiconductor heating. The possibility of existence of TP, which represent the novel type of transverse effects in optical bistability, have been predicted in our recent work /1/. TP are realized under pumping intensity close to the threshold of originating of McCall’s type regenerative oscillations (RO) /1,2/, when interferometer responds to a weak additional signal by single optical pulse with standard shape (regime of single-shot multivibrator /1,3/ ). If transverse dimentions of the interferometer are large enough, then under constant plane-wave pumping and additional local lighting the optical- carrier density TP arises. TP has sharp forward and backward fronts and moves across pumping beam with constant velocity due to carrier diffusion. After the passage of traveling pulse the system returns back to initial homogeneous steady state. Changing parameters of the interferometer or pumping intensity, we can obtain TP with increased or decreased transmission (direct or inverted TP), each of them can be initiated by lokal increasing or decreasing of input intensity. If interferometer is pumped by beam with Gaussian profile, the thentral - intensive part of the beam can corresponds to RO while the beam periphery- to the single--shot regime. In this case the central part of the beam serves as a periodic source of TP, moving towards beam periphery. The contraversal situation is possible, when the periphery of Gaussian beam corresponds to the RO, while the central part - to the single-shot regime. In this case TP are periodically spontaneously initiated at the beam periphery and move to the beam center. Two TP annihilate after collision. In the both cases profile of transmitted beam periodically changes. All regimes described above have been found by numerical simulation using interferometer parameters close to InSb /4/.
A numerical investigation was made of a mathematical model describing the dynamics of a semiconductor Fabry–Perot interferometer with competing carrier-density and thermal mechanisms of nonlinear refraction and with absorption that increases on increase in temperature. The first-ever investigations were made of the following topics: spontaneous oscillations of the transmission near various equilibrium conditions and switching from one limit cycle to another; generation of single pulses in response to weak additional illumination in the case of a monostable optical multivibrator; nonmonotonic transient processes during switching. The proposed model made it possible to study the transition of a dispersive optical bistability to spontaneous oscillations and then to an absorptive bistability (breakdown) as a result of variation of the parameters of the system.
Bistable laser amplifiers are attractive for potential application in optical switching because of very low input optical requirement, high extinction ratio and the presence of optical gain. Optical bistability (OB) arises from gain saturation and the associated nonlinear refraction combined with the effect of feedback in the laser cavity. We present the experimental results of bistable characteristics for the case of a 1.55 /spl mu/m symmetric Fabry-Perot (F-P) laser amplifier with uncoated facets. This paper reports a particularly rich variety of behaviour for reflected signals. Three main forms of hysteresis loops are observed on reflection. The hysteresis loop changes from anticlockwise to clockwise hysteresis in the optical input-output characteristic when the drive current or initial phase detuning is changed. The butterfly hysteresis loop is observed experimentally at optical input power as low as 260 /spl mu/W for a drive current equal to 90% of the lasing threshold. The dependence of the optical bistability on drive current, initial phase detuning and injected optical power has been investigated. In the bistable light output-initial phase detuning characteristic, the optimum frequency is shifted downward with an increase in the injected power or the drive current. All measurements are in good agreement with an analytical model.
When the output parameter of an optical device could be a multivalued function of the input parameter, this device can be working in an optical bistable status. The most typical optical bistable device is a Fabry–Perot cavity containing a nonlinear optical medium, the refractive index of which depends on the light intensity. Upon the action of an intense input optical beam, the transmitted (or reflected) intensity of this device may exhibit a nonlinear response to the incident light intensity variation and, especially under appropriate working conditions, the characteristic output/input curve may manifest a single (or multiple) hysteresis loop(s). Such type of optical bistable device can be used as an optical differential amplifier, optical switch, optical limiter, optical clipper, optical discriminator, or an optical memory element, depending on the chosen nonlinear medium and operation conditions.
Optical bistability (OB) can be defined as the existence of two stable states for one set of optical input conditions. It can be seen in many different systems which generally combine some microscopic nonlinearity (e.g., intensity-dependent refractive index) with some macroscopic feedback (e.g., a Fabry-Perot cavity). OB shows not only hysteresis but also switching transitions. By adjusting the degree of feedback various related effects are also possible (e.g., optical limiters, optical transistors, and several kinds of oscillation phenomena).
We report the realisation of optically bistable switching and memory elements, and the transphasor Can all-optical transistor) in simple one element nonlinear Fabry-Perot interferometers made from the semiconductor InSb. These devices, which operate at 5 K and 77 K with mW powers from a cw CO laser between 5 and 6 μm rely on a strongly intensity-dependent refractive index discovered near the bandgap region of InSb and explained by bandgap resonant saturation. Switching speeds are shown to be < 500 ns in these first devices and operation to much shorter timescales is predicted. Operation at room temperature and in other semiconductors at other wavelengths remains a possibility and such devices offer considerable potential for all-optical switching in integrated optics and laser pulse control.