Optical bistability in a nonlinear resonator with saturable losses and intensity-dependent refractive index

We present numerical results relative to a bistable optical device comprised of an asymmetric Fabry-Perot cavity embedding a nonlinear optical medium. Both the real and imaginary part of the third order nonlinear susceptibility are considered in our calculations. Optimized device operation, expressed in terms of the contrast ratio between the two stable states, is then discussed as a function of the different cavity parameters. The presented method can be a useful tool for designing practical devices with application in the field of all-optical switching, optical regeneration and optical signal processing.