Reflective optical bistability and nonlinear switching in a 1550nm vertical-cavity semiconductor optical amplifier (VCSOA)

Antonio Hurtado*, Ian D. Henning, Michael J. Adams

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingConference contribution book

Abstract

We report experimental measurements of Optical Bistability (OB) and nonlinear switching in a 1550 nm-Vertical-Cavity Semiconductor Optical Amplifier (VCSOA) operated in reflection and biased below and above its threshold current. Two different types of OB and nonlinear switching, anticlockwise and clockwise, have been observed in both the optical power and wavelength domain. The influence of important parameters including the bias current, the initial wavelength detuning and the optical input power has also been studied. The existence of diverse forms of OB and nonlinear switching in a VCSOA operated in reflection opens the door for the development of inverting and non-inverting logic gates, using, respectively, the anticlockwise or the clockwise nonlinear switching transitions appearing in the VCSOA under external optical injection.

Original languageEnglish
Title of host publicationProceedings of SPIE - The International Society for Optical Engineering
Subtitle of host publicationPhotonic Materials, Devices, and Applications II
Volume6593
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 23 Nov 2007
EventPhotonic Materials, Devices, and Applications II - Maspalomas, Gran Canaria, Spain
Duration: 2 May 20074 May 2007

Conference

ConferencePhotonic Materials, Devices, and Applications II
Country/TerritorySpain
CityMaspalomas, Gran Canaria
Period2/05/074/05/07

Keywords

  • nonlinear optics
  • optical bistability (OB)
  • vertical-cavity semiconductor optical amplifier (VCSOA)
  • logic gates
  • semiconductor optical amplifiers
  • threshold voltage

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