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Results in Engineering

Advances in optical bistability: Theory, devices, and emerging applications

Julien Moussa H. Barakat, Abdullah S. Karar, Raymond Ghandour, Zeynep Nilhan Gürkan

Published Jun 1, 2025• 9 citations
Publisher

Abstract

The nonlinear phenomenon known as optical bistability, which enables optical systems to maintain two stable output states for a single input, is thoroughly examined in this review article. Through a detailed analysis of two important devices—the Simple Fiber Ring (SFR) resonator and the Nonlinear Optical Loop Mirror (NOLM)—it investigates the basic concepts of optical bistability, namely nonlinearity and feedback. Numerical simulations demonstrating dynamic dynamics and stability conditions bolster a strong theoretical framework. Recent advancements in bistable optical technologies, including developments in epsilon-near-zero materials, silicon photonics, hybrid plasmonic structures, neuromorphic photonics, and AI-driven photonic processors are also discussed. Furthermore, this review highlights emerging applications of optical bistability in optical logic circuits, high-speed communication, and quantum information processing. This review work is a useful tool for researchers and engineers creating next-generation optical systems because it connects theoretical insights with cutting-edge technological developments.

DOI
10.1016/j.rineng.2025.105540

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The nonlinear phenomenon known as optical bistability, which enables optical systems to maintain two stable output states for a single input, is thoroughly examined in this review article. Through a detailed analysis of two important devices—the Simple Fiber Ring (SFR) resonator and the Nonlinear Optical Loop Mirror (NOLM)—it investigates the basic concepts of optical bistability, namely nonlinearity and feedback. Numerical simulations demonstrating dynamic dynamics and stability conditions bolster a strong theoretical framework. Recent advancements in bistable optical technologies, including developments in epsilon-near-zero materials, silicon photonics, hybrid plasmonic structures, neuromorphic photonics, and AI-driven photonic processors are also discussed. Furthermore, this review highlights emerging applications of optical bistability in optical logic circuits, high-speed communication, and quantum information processing. This review work is a useful tool for researchers and engineers creating next-generation optical systems because it connects theoretical insights with cutting-edge technological developments.
Over the past few decades, optical ring resonators have attracted a considerable amount of attention as versatile elements for a wide range of applications ranging from telecommunication and sensing to basic scientific research [1,2]. The silicon-on-insulator (SOI) material system is a mature fabrication technique and provides the ability to implement microring resonators. In addition, the high confinement of light and the large third-order nonlinearity of silicon at wavelengths in the near infrared, typically around 1.4-1.6 µm, can be utilized for a number of applications by microring resonator devices [3,4]. The optical bistability observed in silicon-based microring resonators have been theoretically investigated and numerically simulated through various sophisticated techniques [5-9]. However, only recently unifying analytical theories regarding nonlinear effects of optical bistability in microring resonators in terms of a slowly varying envelope approach have been reported [10,11]. Previously, we analytically described the nonlinear response of microring resonators consisting of an add-drop filter with feedback and showed that Fano lineshapes can be adjusted by the resonator parameters [12]. In this chapter, we extend our work to examine the optical bistabililty in such microring resonators and test the analytical results with those predicted by the OptiFDTD software package.
Gives a broad description of optical bistability: from practical applications, as an optical transistor or optical memory element, to its phase transition interpretation. The theory is divided into three parts. The first is a simple discussion that covers most of the basic experimental effects and concepts of practical importance. The second part applies to atomic system where a semiclassical as well as a quantum-mechanical approach is possible. The third one discusses the mechanisms compatible with large nonlinearities observed in InSb and GaAs as semiconductors constitute the most promising materials for applications. Current experimental progress in all-optical and hybrid devices is also discussed and scaling example is presented to indicate the possibilities in high-speed all-optical signal processing.
• To introduce some theory of electromagnetic waves. • To introduce optical bistability and show some related devices. • To discuss possible future applications. • To apply some of the theory of nonlinear dynamical systems to model a real physical system. On completion of this chapter, the reader should be able to • understand the basic theory of Maxwell’s equations; • derive the equations to model a nonlinear simple fiber ring (SFR) resonator; • investigate some of the dynamics displayed by these devices and plot chaotic attractors; • use a linear stability analysis to predict regions of instability and bistability; • plot bifurcation diagrams using the first and second iterative methods; • compare the results from four different methods of analysis.
This paper presents a review of the various applications of feedback in optical systems. There are two general areas, optical image processing and bistability. In optical image processing both coherent (optical spatial feedback network internal to an optical resonator) and hybrid (TV) systems are discussed. In the area of bistability there are molecular systems (atoms in an optical resonator), both absorptive and dispersive; hybrid (employing electronic feedback) single-beam and many-element (TV and spatial light modulator-based) systems. All the systems are discussed. A detailed model showing the many facets of molecular bistability is presented along with a discussion of catastrophe theory applied to optical bistability.
We analyze theoretically the nonlinear phenomenon of optical bistability inside a ring resonator formed with a silicon-waveguide nanowire and derive an exact parametric relation connecting the output intensity to the input intensity. Our input-output relation accounts for linear losses, the Kerr nonlinearity, two-photon absorption, free-carrier-induced absorption and dispersion, and thermo-optic effects within the resonator. Based on our study, we generalize the standard definition of effective length to allow for all possible losses within a silicon ring resonator. We also present a simplified version of the bistable phenomenon valid for resonators operating in a regime in which losses resulting from two-photon absorption are relatively small. Our analytical results provide clear insight into the physics behind optical bistability and may be useful for designing silicon-based optical memories.
Traditional frequency domain optical bistability(FDOB) devices with hybrid electro-optical feedback have low response speed and high noise fluctuations.Hence,a novel tunable laser FDOB device with an all-optical feedback was developed using a nonlinear fiber ring resonator as the frequency feedback element.Parametric equations of optical bistability were established according to the system's response to nonlinear process and frequency-dependent feedback.Based on the parametric equations,the characteristics and controllable operations of FDOB were analyzed.The switching response speed of the optical bistability was discussed.The analysis showed that the proposed all-fiber laser bistability device can effectively achieve intensity-driven and gain-driven optical bistability.The position and shape of the bistability hysteresis curve vary with the adjustment of gain or loss in the fiber ring resonator,hence realizing the controlled all-optical bistability operations.Sudden jumping of optical bistability in the frequency domain can be applied to monitor laser wavelength shift and achieve sensoring.The optical bistability response time is in the nanosecond order of magnitude and bistability switching is ultrafast.