Abstract

We demonstrate a new silicon picosecond nonlinear-optical energy regulator for 1-μm radiation. The device has a high transmission for low input energies and a low transmission for high input energies and clamps the output at a constant value. We attribute this optical Zener action to nonlinear refraction and absorption induced in the silicon by the intense picosecond pulses.

© 1984 Optical Society of America

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