Applied Physics Letters · 1995 · 104 citations · 1 references
EngineeringElectrical EngineeringPhysicsOpticsOptoelectronicsPhotonicsNonlinear OpticsOptical DetectorsOptical ModulationOptical SwitchingPolarization OpticsUltrafast OpticsAll-optical SwitchingNonlinear Optical SwitchingOptical SwitchesPhotonic SwitchesPolarization ModulationTransverse Relaxation TimeUltrafast Optical ResponseUltrafast Pulse Generation
We propose a polarization-discriminating Mach-Zehnder (PDMZ) all-optical switch. The switching speed of this PDMZ all-optical switch is not limited by the slow relaxation time of highly efficient incoherent nonlinearities. We demonstrate a squarelike modulation characteristic, which is necessary in most switching applications, at a switching speed (on-off time) of 40 ps. We also demonstrate ultrafast switching at a detector limited speed of ∼8 ps.
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