Abstract

Polarization bistability has been proposed as having a number of advantages over conventional schemes.¹ We have investigated polarization switching in a Fabry-Perot cavity filled with an aligned nematic. In this nonlinear, birefringent cavity, the transmittance for each polarization is a single valued function of the irradiance inside the cavity. This couples the two polarizations so that, unless sufficiently separated spatially, they switch simultaneously. Although limiting the range of possible applications, this coupling may be used to advantage to implement some optical latches.

© 1989 Optical Society of America