Abstract

The recent observation of very large non-linearities and of optical bistability in semiconductor structures at room temperature has heightened the interest in all-optical switching and signal processing as a practical prospect in optical information technology. Along with the search for suitable non-linear materials, some attention is also being paid to the study of structural configurations designed to optimize the performance of a bistable device. In this paper we will discuss the resonant FTR (Frustrated Total Reflection) approach, as an experimental configuration fully compatible with semiconductor and integrated optics technologies, which should lower the power requirements of a bistable device through the "enhancement" of the optical field inside its non-linear region.

© 1983 Optical Society of America