Broad-band, reversible nonreciprocal light transmission based on a single nanocavity

Abstract

We present a general yet simple method for achieving broad-band, high-contrast-ratio, and reversible all-optical diodes. The mechanism is based on the controllable photonic transitions inside a nonlinear nanocavity, triggered by only one pulse. We demonstrate that the interaction between the signal, pump pulse, and the cavity mode plays a crucial role in dynamically controlling the nonreciprocal light transmissions. Using this mechanism, we show that the nonreciprocal light transmission can be controllably reversed without changing the signal light's wavelength or power, with a broad operation bandwidth over 7.5nm and a transmission contrast rate over 20dB. This approach provides a promising avenue in flexible manipulation of on-chip all-optical signal processing.