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Transverse Effects in Optical Bistability in the Context of Parallel Processing

W. J. Firth, Jerome V. Moloney, Stanley Desmond Smith, Pierre Meystre, Ewan M. Wright, Paul Mandel, L. A. Lugiato, Denis L. Weaire

Published Jan 1, 1985• 0 citations
Publisher

Abstract

For reasons of speed and economy, applications of dispersive optical bistability are likely to concentrate on solid-state devices of small volume. In this paper we will discuss the modelling and optimisation of such devices, particularly in relation to possible pixel size and spatial resolution. Diffusion (1,2), rather than diffraction (3), is the dominant transverse coupling mechanism in the two current solid-state systems (InSb etalon (4) and ZnSe-spaced interference filter (5)), capable of cw hold and optical address, but we will argue that in an optimised device diffraction and diffusion will be equally important.

DOI
10.1364/optcomp.1985.md3

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For reasons of speed and economy, applications of dispersive optical bistability are likely to concentrate on solid-state devices of small volume. In this paper we will discuss the modelling and optimisation of such devices, particularly in relation to possible pixel size and spatial resolution. Diffusion (1,2), rather than diffraction (3), is the dominant transverse coupling mechanism in the two current solid-state systems (InSb etalon (4) and ZnSe-spaced interference filter (5)), capable of cw hold and optical address, but we will argue that in an optimised device diffraction and diffusion will be equally important.
Abstract For reasons of speed and economy, applications of optical bistability are likely to concentrate on solid-state devices of small volume. In this paper we discuss the modelling and optimization of such devices. We report calculations of surface reflectivity optimization in the presence of absorption, and show that optical bistability in reflection offers significant advantages over transmission. Small transverse dimensions, i.e. dense packing, are limited by cross-talk between neighbouring devices. We show that diffraction and diffusion give rise to qualitatively similar effects
Transverse effects are known to play a central role in nonlinear-optical systems.Since experiments are generally performed with lasers with finite transverse dimensions, the transverse nature of the field must be considered.Experimental evidence, for example, indicates that mechanisms in the form of diffusive and diffractive coupling within the medium, free-space diffraction, or some combination of these, can create transverse structures which are important in optical bistability and self-focusing/defocusing.In particular, transverse coupling is attributed to such phenomena as radial dependence of the switch up times of bistable loops, spatial hysteresis, and the formation of solitary waves in passive systems.The dynamical effects of free-space diffraction in a unidirectional ring cavity containing a thin resonant absorber driven by an external coherent signal is considered.Minimal focusing effects exist in this system by incorporating a thin medium whose width is small compared to the cavity length and Raleigh range.There is no restriction on the medium response time relative to the round trip time; i.e. the time-dependent polarization is not adiabatically eliminated from the equations of motion.Free-space diffraction effects are isolated and diffraction and diffusive coupling within the medium is negligible.In this model where free-space diffraction is the dominant mechanism for changing the field profile in the system, shifting, deformation, and radial variation of the bistable loop and spatial hysteresis is attributed to an inherent dispersion induced by the free-space diffraction.
Refractive changes in semiconductors used in optical bistability are induced as a result of excitations generated by intense light levels. To date such excitations have been either electronic (carriers excited to higher energy states) as in InSb or thermal as in ZnSe. Usually such refractive index changes are small and it is necessary to introduce some form of optical feedback in order to obtain a useful change in the output signal. Various configurations which provide optical feedback are examined and the optimisation for low switching power levels is addressed.
There is an increasing interest in all-epitaxial Fabry-Perot etalons for optical bistability1,2 and optical logic gates.3 To model these devices theoretically, the wave equation, carrier diffusion equation, and heat conduction equation must be solved self-consistently for the layered structure. To investigate the effects of small spot sizes, the wave equation must include diffraction, whereas for the heat conduction equation both longitudinal (perpendicular to the layers) as well as transverse (parallel to the layers) heat conduction must be taken into account.