Abstract

The importance of ultrafast all-optical switching devices stems both from their sub-picosecond switching time, which is faster than that feasible with electronic devices, and their compatibility with all-optical fiber data-transmission systems. Much of the work on such devices has been concentrated on optical bistable switches, which require optical materials with large nonlinearities if devices are to be small enough to respond at sub-picosecond speeds. However, waveguide devices such as the nonlinear optical coupler¹ or the birefringent fiber polarization switch² can operate at ultrafast switching rates even when fabricated from glass, a material with a small, fast electronic nonlinearity and a very low absorption.^3,4

© 1987 Optical Society of America