Abstract

Future high-capacity optical communication networks require ultrafast on-line optical regenerators (OR) based on all-optical devices to overcome speed limitations incurred by electronic systems. Optical discriminator is the main component of such regenerators. The vertical cavity saturable absorber optical gate using multiple quantum wells (MQWs) and a distributed Bragg reflector (DBR) offers several advantages such as high contrast, low switching energy and a wide wavetangh range¹. Key parameters of such device are switching speed and contrast ratio near the excitonic resonance (1.55μm).

© 2000 IEEE