Abstract

Nonlinear Fabry-Perot etalons possess many favorable qualities for operation as optical logic gates. They switch the power-supply beam (bias for bistable devices¹ or probe for optical logic etalons²) primarily between reflection and transmission thus minimizing absorption and therefore heating. Multiple passes through the nonlinear medium allow very small devices with subpicosecond cavity buildup times. Pulsed operation² with three-port devices minimizes energy and time requirements. Surface recombination in GaAs flakes as thin as 1/8 µm has reduced etalon recovery times to as little as 30 ps with negligible loss of material sensitivity. Repetitive operation over a 70-ps cycle has been demonstrated in an optical logic etalon (OLE).² Operation of OLE NOR gates in arrays up to 2 X 4 in size has also been accomplished with 16-µm separations and thermal stability at 82-MHz operating frequency.² Using a cavity which is symmetric at the probe wavelength but asymmetric to the input beam, we have demonstrated a unidirectional device or “optical data diode.”² Although OLEs usually convert short wavelengths to longer wavelengths, conversion in the long-to-short direction has been accomplished in room-temperature GaAs. Growth of complete working etalons has been incorporated into the molecular beam epitaxial process.

© 1986 Optical Society of America