Title :
Theory and optimisation of optical bistability in multilayer interference filters
Author :
Hutchings, D.C. ; Wherrett, B.S. ; Wang, C.
Author_Institution :
Dept. of Phys., Heriot-Watt Univ., Edinburgh, UK
Abstract :
Refractive changes in semiconductors used in optical bistability are induced as a result of excitations generated by intense light levels. To date such excitations have been either electronic (carriers excited to higher energy states) as in InSb or thermal as in ZnSe. Usually such refractive index changes are small and it is necessary to introduce some form of optical feedback in order to obtain a useful change in the output signal. Various configurations which provide optical feedback are examined and the optimisation for low switching power levels is addressed
Keywords :
feedback; light interference; optical bistability; optical filters; refractive index; II-VI semiconductors; III-V semiconductors; InSb; ZnSe; electronic excitations; low switching power levels; multilayer interference filters; optical bistability; optical feedback; refractive index; semiconductors; thermal excitations;
Conference_Titel :
Optics in Computing, IEE Colloquium on
Conference_Location :
London
