TY - GEN
T1 - Time-resolved ultrafast all-optical switching in directional couplers with second-order nonlinearity
AU - Solntsev, Alexander S.
AU - Neshev, Dragomir N.
AU - Schiek, Roland
PY - 2011
Y1 - 2011
N2 - Nonlinear directional couplers (NLDC) allow for ultrafast all-optical switching. To date, various types of NLDCs have been studied, predominantly based on the Kerr [1] or cascaded quadratic nonlinearity [2] in second-harmonic generation (SHG). In the later case the switching can occur at lower powers because of a propagating-wave resonance effect. While a number of experiments to characterise the pulse propagation in Kerr-type couplers exist, till now the temporal behavior of short pulses in the NLDC with quadratic nonlinearity has never been studied experimentally. Several important questions such as the reason for incomplete switching and possible pulse compression factors remain unanswered. In this work we experimentally measure the pulse reshaping in a NLDC with second-order nonlinearity and show that pulse compression, break-up and back-switching play an important role in the switching process.
AB - Nonlinear directional couplers (NLDC) allow for ultrafast all-optical switching. To date, various types of NLDCs have been studied, predominantly based on the Kerr [1] or cascaded quadratic nonlinearity [2] in second-harmonic generation (SHG). In the later case the switching can occur at lower powers because of a propagating-wave resonance effect. While a number of experiments to characterise the pulse propagation in Kerr-type couplers exist, till now the temporal behavior of short pulses in the NLDC with quadratic nonlinearity has never been studied experimentally. Several important questions such as the reason for incomplete switching and possible pulse compression factors remain unanswered. In this work we experimentally measure the pulse reshaping in a NLDC with second-order nonlinearity and show that pulse compression, break-up and back-switching play an important role in the switching process.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=80052295421&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1109/CLEOE.2011.5942650
DO - 10.1109/CLEOE.2011.5942650
M3 - Conference contribution
SN - 9781457705335
T3 - 2011 Conference on Lasers and Electro-Optics Europe and 12th European Quantum Electronics Conference, CLEO EUROPE/EQEC 2011
BT - 2011 Conference on Lasers and Electro-Optics Europe and 12th European Quantum Electronics Conference, CLEO EUROPE/EQEC 2011
T2 - 2011 Conference on Lasers and Electro-Optics Europe and 12th European Quantum Electronics Conference, CLEO EUROPE/EQEC 2011
Y2 - 22 May 2011 through 26 May 2011
ER -