All-Optical Switching in Novel Waveguide X-Junctions with Localized Nonlinearity

Hiroshi MURATA
Masayuki IZUTSU
Tadasi SUETA

Publication
IEICE TRANSACTIONS on Communications   Vol.E82-B    No.2    pp.373-378
Publication Date: 1999/02/25
Online ISSN: 
DOI: 
Print ISSN: 0916-8516
Type of Manuscript: Special Section PAPER (Joint Special Issue on Photonics in Switching: Systems and Devices)
Category: Photonic Switching Devices
Keyword: 
optical waveguide,  nonlinear optics,  all-optical switch,  waveguide junction,  beam propagation method,  

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Summary: 
We propose novel all-optical functional devices using waveguide X-junctions with localized third order optical nonlinearity, where one branch is made from a Kerr-like nonlinear material and the rest are made from linear ones. All-optical switching operations can be obtained because of bistable like nonlinear dispersion characteristics in linear and nonlinear coupled guided-wave systems. The performances of the devices are analyzed by the Beam Propagation Method (BPM) modified for nonlinear waveguides combined with the nonlinear normal mode analysis. The methods to construct the waveguides with localized nonlinearity are also discussed by utilizing the technologies for the selective control of a band-gap energy of semiconductor Multi Quantum Well (MQW) structures and the performances of the designed devices are presented.