Abstract

We compare the performance of two well-known all-optical switching schemes based on fiber Bragg gratings: a uniform grating and a grating with a π phase shift. We express their performance in terms of linear measures: the intensity enhancement inside the grating, which lowers the nonlinear threshold, and the relative resonance bandwidth, which determines the device’s response time. We show that in both grating types, the product of the enhancement and the relative bandwidth is proportional to the refractive index contrast, and that it is superior for a phase-shifted grating. We also evaluate the sensitivity of the devices to loss. We confirm results of our analysis by simulating nonlinear coupled-mode equations. More generally, our results indicate the advantage of structures with a high refractive- index contrast for all-optical switching.

© 2010 Optical Society of America

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