Abstract

The use of bistable Fabry-Perot devices as multi-port cascadable devices has been frequently discussed in the literature (1-3). It has been envisaged that such devices could be addressed by a number of bias and control beams each approaching the device at a different angle (fig. 1). However, if these devices are to be cascadable, the same wavelength of light must be used for all control and bias beams. In this situation the control beam intensities inside the devices will be determined by the amplification effects of the cavity. Their behaviour will differ from that of the bias beam as the different incident angles produce additional phase changes. It has been shown that these additional phase changes give rise to bistable switching as the incident angle of the beam is changed (4) and this behaviour is demonstrated experimentally.

© 1987 Optical Society of America