Limitations to all-optical switching using nonlinear couplers in the presence of linear and nonlinear absorption and saturation

Year: 1988

Authors: Caglioti E., Trillo S., Wabnitz S., Stegeman G.I.

Autors Affiliation: Fondazione Ugo Bordoni, Viale Europa 190, Rome, 00144, Italy; Optical Sciences Center, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, 85721, United States

Abstract: The basic limitations to light-controlled switching and logic gating when using nonlinear couplers fabricated materials from whose nonlinear response departs from ideal Kerr-like behavior are discussed. A critical value (˜ dB) of total linear loss along a one-beat-length-long coupler exists: For greater absorptions the achievable power- dependent sharp switching at the output of a coupler is degraded greatly. Our analysis of spatial instabilities in the coupled-mode equations with linear-loss terms yields an analytical estimate of this critical absorption as well as of the switching efficiency. When paired with the exact results obtainable for a saturable nonlinearity without absorption, our description also may provide useful qualitative insight (in terms of trade-offs between switching power, efficiency, and throughput) when correct modeling of resonantly enhanced nonlinearities (e.g., a two-level absorber) requires numerical solutions of the coupled-mode equations.

Journal/Review: JOURNAL OF THE OPTICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA B: OPTICAL PHYSICS

Volume: 5 (2)      Pages from: 472  to: 482

KeyWords: Nonlinearity
DOI: 10.1364/JOSAB.5.000472

Citations: 43
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