Distributed Feedback Bistability in Channel Waveguides

Abstract

The phenomenon of optical bistability holds considerable promise for application to all-optical logic and signal processing. For applications that will ultimately require high packing densities, i.e. multiple operations in series or parallel, it is desirable to minimize both the material volume and required power per element. Such requirements will probably necessitate using material nonlinearities versus a hybrid approach. The cross-sectional area and hence both the volume and switching power can be minimized by using integrated optics waveguides. The feedback required for bistability can be achieved with distributed feedback gratings. In this paper we analyze the power, waveguide, and grating parameters needed for optical bistability in a two-dimensional waveguide.