Integrated Mach-Zehnder-based 2x2 all-optical switch using nonlinear two-mode interference waveguide

The Mach-Zehnder interferometer (MZI) is a common structure for integrated all-optical switches. We proposed and designed an all-optical 2x2 switch that is based on the MZI, multimode interference, and a nonlinear two-mode interference waveguide. The beam propagation method is used to simulate and analyze the device. The results show that the switching action is done properly.     

Polymer-based waveguides and optical switching

The fabrication and linear optical characterization of a Bragg reflector in a planar polymeric waveguide, suitable for an all-optical switching device, is reported. Surface corrugation gratings with a grating constant of 349 nm were produced in different polymeric films of poly(phenylene-vinylene), polydiacetylene and polystyrene by excimer laser photoablation. Furthermore, the gap in the linear transmission spectrum of the modulated waveguide was measured and compared with the result of numerical simulations. A good agreement can only be found if a non-uniform grating with a small chirp is assumed. This small deviation from the uniform grating cannot be resolved with a scanning electron microscope. However, this linear optical investigation helps to further improve the fabrication process and opens the possibility to yield a well-defined grating with a prescribed modulation strength, which is a vital requirement for the proper operation of a nonlinear all-optical switch.     

All-optical wavelength conversion in a GaInAsP/InP optical gate loaded with a Bragg reflector

All-optical wavelength conversion employing a GaInAsP/InP nonlinear distributed-feedback waveguide switch is investigated. The device has the advantages of simple structure, compactness, polarity-noninverted operation, and feasibility of integration with other photonic devices such as semiconductor optical amplifier and modulators. We show that the device exhibits constant conversion efficiency around -9.2 dB in a signal-wavelength range of 1530-1560 nm. Furthermore, this device can potentially be made polarization independent.     

All-optical switch using optically controlled two mode interference coupler

In this paper, we have introduced optically controlled two-mode interference (OTMI) coupler having silicon core and GaAsInP cladding as an all-optical switch. By taking advantage of refractive index modulation by launching optical pulse into cladding region of TMI waveguide, we have shown optically controlled switching operation. We have studied optical pulse-controlled coupling characteristics of the proposed device by using a simple mathematical model on the basis of sinusoidal modes. The device length is less than that of previous work. It is also seen that the cross talk of the OTMI switch is not significantly increased with fabrication tolerances (±δw) in comparison with previous work.     

Adiabatic polymer-glass-waveguide all-optical switch

We propose an adiabatic all-optical switch that is composed of an asymmetric Y-branch ion-exchanged glass waveguide with a strip of nonlinear polymer loaded on top of one branch. The properties of nonlinear wave propagation in the device are investigated in detail. By extending the effective-index method to the analysis of nonlinear waveguides, we calculate the nonlinear dispersion curves in successive sections to explain the evolution of normal modes in the device. As the multivalued propagation constants exist in the tapered directional coupler region, the device possesses an abrupt switching behavior and nonreciprocal properties. To demonstrate nonlinear switching behaviors in the Y-branch waveguide further, we employ a beam propagation method to simulate optical-field propagation. The inputs by three different ports are investigated, and the results agree well with the dispersion-curve analysis.     

All-optical 1 x N switching device by use of the phase modulation of spatial solitons

We proposed a new all-optical switching device by using the phase modulation of spatial solitons. The proposed structure is composed of an asymmetric nonlinear Mach-Zehnder interferometer (NMZI) with different lengths for the two arms, the uniform nonlinear medium, and the nonlinear output waveguides. The asymmetric NMZI functions like a phase shifter. The all-optical switching scheme employs angular deflection of spatial solitons controlled by phase modulation created in the asymmetric NMZI. By properly launching the input power and varying the lengths of the delay branch and the uniform nonlinear medium, it is possible for this device to be generalized to a 1 x N all-optical switching device.     

Integrated waveguide diffractive doublet for guided-wave manipulation

An integrated waveguide diffractive doublet consisting of a uniform grating coupler and a diffractive optical element is proposed. Design of this waveguide diffractive doublet for guided-wave manipulation is described in detail. Experimental results for a fabricated waveguide diffractive doublet are also presented to demonstrate the device principles. It was found that this waveguide diffractive doublet can enhance device functionality while remaining simple and compact and having a planar structure. Furthermore, this device can be fabricated by use of all-optical lithography.     

All-optical bistable switching based on photonic crystal slab nanocavity using nonlinear Kerr effect

In this paper, we propose all-optical bistable switching based on a two-dimensional (2D) photonic crystal slab nanocavity using the nonlinear Kerr effect with improved optical properties such as on/off ratio and switching power. The nonlinear properties of different kinds of nanocavity-based L3 structures are characterized. Using the 2D finite-difference time-domain method, we present a new structure of nanocavities for all-optical switching. The device has on/off ratio greater than 15?dB and power smaller than 375?mW for input optical pulses in the range of picoseconds.     

All-optical controllable channel-drop filters in two-dimensional square-lattice photonic crystals

A novel all-optical controllable channel-drop filter in photonic crystals (PC) of square lattice is presented. We show that using a resonant-cavity-based add-drop filter with a wavelength-selective reflection feedback and a single-control switching module which is based on nonlinear PC microcavities, the dropped channel can be routed to the drop port or returned to the bus waveguide. Using the temporal coupled-mode theory and two-dimensional nonlinear finite-difference time-domain method, the performance of the proposed device is investigated and the simulation results show the validity of the proposed design.     

Highly photostable distributed-feedback polymer waveguide blue laser using spirobifluorene derivatives

In this study, we synthesized the new spirobifluorene derivatives; hexylbiphenyl-spirobifluorene (HBP-Spiro) and triphenylamine-spirobifluorene (TPA-Spiro) and demonstrated the operation of a distributed-feedback polymer waveguide blue laser. In addition, we investigated the optical and lasing properties of spirobifluorene derivatives including photostability. The experimental slope efficiency and the energy threshold of a HBP-Spiro-doped waveguide laser were 3.6% and 1.9 μJ, respectively. An operation lifetime of 27,000 shots was obtained for a pump-pulse duration of 1.2 ns and energy of 3.0 μJ at a wavelength of 355 nm.     

Optical bistability in metal-insulator-metal plasmonic waveguide with nanodisk resonator containing Kerr nonlinear medium

We numerically investigate the optical bistability effect in the metal-insulator-metal waveguide with a nanodisk resonator containing a Kerr nonlinear medium. It is found that the increase of the refractive index, which is induced by enhancing the incident intensity, can cause a redshift for the resonance wavelength. The local resonant field excited in the nanodisk cavity can significantly increase the Kerr nonlinear effect. In addition, an obvious bistability loop is observed in the proposed structure. This nonlinear structure can find important applications for all-optical switching in highly integrated optical circuits.     

Nonlinear mixing in nanowire subwavelength waveguides

The realization of nonlinear photonic circuits to achieve the control of light-by-light is contingent upon a strong nonlinear response that can be captured in a guided-wave geometry. There remains a need to further scale down waveguides while maintaining a strong nonlinear response. In this study, we report second-harmonic generation and optical parametric generation using the second-order nonlinear response in an 80 nm thick CdS nanowire subwavelength waveguide. Moreover, our three-dimensional finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) simulations demonstrate that it is possible to enhance the coherence length due to the very nature of the subwavelength geometry. Nonlinear mixing in a nanowire subwavelength waveguide represents an advance toward all-optical processing and all-optical switching in integrated photonic circuits.     

Ultrahigh speed all-optical AND logic gate using integrated silicon-based MZI device

In this paper, we present a device with a silicon-on-insulator (SOI) based symmetrical Mach–Zehnder interferometer (MZI) structure to perform the ultrahigh speed all-optical AND logic gate function. Simulation results show that, while the operation speed is at a bit rate of 200 Gbit s^?1, the output parameters including extinction ratio and eye-opening ratio for outcome AND logic gate signal can, respectively, reach as high as ～12.8 dB, and ～0.94 in the case of a 5 mm long SOI waveguide by means of judiciously adjusting the initial conditions, such as incident signal and probe continuous-wave (CW) powers.     

EIT-based MZ-MMI all-optical switch

We propose a new control structure for all-optical switching in multimode inference (MMI)-based Mach–Zehnder interferometer (MZI) devices. This structure is composed of an MZI doped by three-level nanocrystals for the realization of electromagnetically induced transparency (EIT) in the lower arm. We use two different intensities of control field for two states of the proposed switch. Using a control field in both of the two switching states is necessary, where the EIT region is transparent. By changing the intensity of the control field, the refractive index of the doped region changes, which makes the phase difference between the two arms of the MZI. Hence, the switching operation takes place. Simulation results show that the extinction ratio of the device is ?32dB in the worst case.     

Fabrication of a distributed-feedback dye laser with a grating structure in its plastic waveguide

Two approaches of fabricating grating structures for waveguided plastic dye lasers are described and compared for lasing performance. Rhodamine6G-doped poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) film on a PMMA substrate was used for the waveguide, and a distributed-feedback (DFB) laser operation with a single-propagation mode was demonstrated. The performances of both types of permanent grating structured DFB dye laser were better than those of a DFB dye laser on a plain waveguide with a dynamic grating formed by the interference of two pump beams. Wide tuning range is expected by use of a multistripe DFB laser with different grating pitches.     

Dependence of Threshold Switching Power on the Control-Light Wavelength in a Nonlinear Distributed-Feedback GaInAsP Waveguide

We demonstrate all-optical bistable switching by using orthogonally and parallelly polarized control light in a nonlinear distributed feedback GaInAsP waveguide. When the control light that is orthogonally polarized to the signal light is within its stopband, it is possible to extract the signal without using any external devices. Also, we investigate theoretically and experimentally the dependence of threshold switching power on the wavelength and polarization of control light.     

Arc-shaped waveguide switch based on the third-order nonlinear effect

A kind of arc-shaped all-optical waveguide switch is proposed for the first time, to the best of our knowledge, and the switching characteristics of it are investigated by means of the beam propagation method. The effects of saturation and loss on the characteristics of the switch are discussed.     

Demonstration of optically controlled data routing with the use of multiple-quantum-well bistable and electro-optical devices

We present experimental results on a 1-to-64-channel free-space photonic switching demonstration system based on GaAs/GaAlAs multiple-quantum-well active device arrays. Two control schemes are demonstrated: data transparent optical self-routing usable in a packet-switching environment and direct optical control with potential signal amplification for circuit switching. The self-routing operation relies on the optical recognition of the binary destination address coded in each packet header. Address decoding is implemented with elementary optical bistable devices and modulator pixels as all-optical latches and electro-optical and gates, respectively. All 60 defect-free channels of the system could be operated one by one, but the simultaneous operation of only three channels could be achieved mainly because of the spatial nonhomogeneities of the devices. Direct-control operation is based on directly setting the bistable device reflectivity with a variable-control beam power. This working mode turned out to be much more tolerant of spatial noises: 37 channels of the system could be operated simultaneously. Further development of the system to a crossbar of N inputs and M outputs and system miniaturization are also considered.     

Novel all-optical logic gate using an add/drop filter and intensity switch

A novel design of all-optical logic device is proposed. An all-optical logic device system composes of an optical intensity switch and add/drop filter. The intensity switch is formed to switch signal by using the relationship between refraction angle and signal intensity. In operation, two input signals are coupled into one with some coupling loss and attenuation, in which the combination of add/drop with intensity switch produces the optical logic gate. The advantage is that the proposed device can operate the high speed logic function. Moreover, it uses low power consumption. Furthermore, by using the extremely small component, this design can be put into a single chip. Finally, we have successfully produced the all-optical logic gate that can generate the accurate AND and NOT operation results.     

A nonvolatile plasmonic switch employing photochromic molecules

We demonstrate a surface plasmon-polariton (SPP) waveguide all-optical switch that combines the unique physical properties of small molecules and metallic (plasmonic) nanostructures. The switch consists of a pair of gratings defined in an aluminum film coated with a 65 nm thick layer of photochromic (PC) molecules. The first grating couples a signal beam consisting of free space photons to SPPs that interact effectively with the PC molecules. These molecules can reversibly be switched between transparent and absorbing states using a free space optical pump. In the transparent (signal "on") state, the SPPs freely propagate through the molecular layer, and in the absorbing (signal "off") state, the SPPs are strongly attenuated. The second grating serves to decouple the SPPs back into a free space optical beam, enabling measurement of the modulated signal with a far-field detector. In a preliminary study, the switching behavior of the PC molecules themselves was confirmed and quantified by surface plasmon resonance spectroscopy. The excellent (16%) overlap of the SPP mode profile with the thin layer of switching molecules enabled efficient switching with power densities of approximately 6.0 mW/cm2 in 1.5 microm x 8 microm devices, resulting in plasmonic switching powers of 0.72 nW per device. Calculations further showed that modulation depths in access of 20 dB can easily be attained in optimized designs. The quantitative experimental and theoretical analysis of the nonvolatile switching behavior in this letter guides the design of future nanoscale optically or electrically pumped optical switches.