Abstract

We report the first demonstration of a novel non-resonant opto-electronic device suitable for optical logic, but which is not bistable. The operation of the device is based on the principle of a current driven multiple quantum well electro-absorption modulator which was first established in the 'self-linearized modulator’ (1). By including electronic gain in the device and exploiting the limiting response of the device outside the self-linearising region, the device can be used as a logic gate with high optical gain and outputs which are 'hard limited’. The device, although it is not all-optical, does overcome many of the serious shortcomings of optical bistables device which have been outlined in ref.².

© 1987 Optical Society of America