Abstract

All-optical signal processing offers the promise of increased speed and bandwidth of optical communication systems. Nonlinear optical effects, which can be used in all-optical elements such as switches, are usually weak requiring long interaction distances. Slowing down light, for example in photonic crystal waveguides, enhances nonlinear effects [1] and thus offers the possibility to create more compact devices. However, extracting the actual nonlinear optical effects that occur inside a single component of a composite system from regular transmission measurements is far from trivial.

© 2013 IEEE