Abstract

Non-linear interference filters (NLIF) incorporating ZnSe spacers were first shown to exhibit optical bistability in 1984 [1,2]. Since then they have been successfully used in a number of digital optical circuit demonstrations [3]. Although these devices, which rely on a thermally induced nonlinearity, have limited low-power switch speeds (0.1 µs-100 µs) they have a very high transmission bandwidth, up to several THz, and can therefore act as an all-optical relay. They are therefore excellent candidates for spatial switching, or signal routing applications. A single NLIF may be configured as a 2 × 2 spatial switch by using both reflection and transmission outputs, as shown in fig. 1. An array of such devices may be used to form a non-blocking switch network or crossbar switch [4].

© 1987 Optical Society of America