A novel MMI–MZ all-optical switch

This paper presents a novel all-optical switch based on multi-mode interference (MMI) and Mach–Zehnder (MZ) using self-imaging principle and optical Kerr effect of organic polymer material. A branch waveguide is inserted into one of Mach–Zehnder interferometer arms, where the controlling beam is introduced. The device with a core of azo polymer is simulated by the beam propagation method (BPM). The result shows that, the bent branch waveguide of 2 μm width is inserted in MZ interferometer arm at 100 μm has the minimal impact on the original waveguide. And a good light switching function is achieved via controlling light intensity of 4 mW.     

Implementation of all-optical Toffoli gate in Λ-systems

An optical Toffoli gate is the essential logical element, which permits the implementation of a reversible optical processor. We propose a simple realization of such a gate in films of crystals doped with rare-earth ions. The proposed scheme is based on adiabatic population transfer in a ??-system by means of counterintuitive and intuitive sequences of short laser pulses. We also discuss possibilities for experimental realization of the proposed gate.     

Compact all-optical switches based on photon-induced suppression of mode interference

An optically activated optical switch based on suppression of mode interference (SMI) is presented. The imaging properties of multi-mode interference (MMI) section in the switch with Y-branch can be modified by a controlling light injection. The switch was simulated by finite difference beam propagation method (FD-BPM) and fabricated on GaAlAs/GaAs epitaxial materials. At the wavelength of 1.31 μm, the primary experiment showed an extinction ratio of about 8 dB with controlling light power density of 73.5 W/mm2.     

125 μm fiber based all-optical ultrasound probes for pulse-echo imaging

All-optical ultrasound probes that contain a photoacoustically-based ultrasound generator paired with a photonic acoustic sensor provide a promising imaging modality for diagnostic and MRI-compatible applications.Here, we demonstrate the fabrication of a fiber-based all-optical ultrasound probe and its applications in pulseecho ultrasound imaging. The ultrasound generator is fabricated on a 125 μm multimode optical fiber by forming a light-absorbing multiwalled carbon nanotube(MWCNT)-polydimethylsiloxane(PDMS) composite coating on its distal end. A peak-to-peak acoustic pressure of 0.95 MPa was achieved with laser irradiation at 2.46 μJ by chemically functionalizing the fiber surface to enable a strong adsorption. Ultrasound reception was performed by a fiber-laser ultrasound sensor that translates ultrasound pressure into differential lasing-frequency changes.By linearly scanning the probe, ex vivo two-and three-dimensional imaging of a segment of swine trachea was demonstrated by detecting the echo ultrasound signals and reconstructing the acoustic scatterers.The probe presents axial and lateral resolutions at 150 and 62 μm, respectively. The small-sized, side-looking all-fiber ultrasound probe presents a promising approach for assembling an interventional endoscopy.     

An all-optical matrix multiplication scheme with non-linear material based switching system

Optics is a potential candidate in information, data, and image processing. In all-optical data and information processing, optics has been used as information carrying signal because of its inherent advantages of parallelism. Several optical methods are proposed in support of the above processing. In many algebraic, arithmetic, and image processing schemes fundamental logic and memory operations are conducted exploring all-optical devices. In this communication we report an all-optical matrix multiplication operation with non-linear material based switching circuit.     

Orientation of azobenzene molecules in polymer films induced by all-optical poling

A model of the alignment of azobenzene molecules in polymer film induced by all-optical poling is proposed and verified by experiment. We found that when the writing beams of frequencies ω and 2ω are both linearly polarized with their polarization directions parallel to each other, azobenzene molecules tend to reorient to the direction perpendicular to the writing beams polarization. At the end of the writing process, more molecules orient to the direction perpendicular to the writing beams polarization than those which orient to the parallel direction. The alignment of molecules parallel or perpendicular to the polarization of the writing beams is characteristic of polarity or no polarity, respectively. The alignment of molecules along the polarization of writing beams results in the second order nonlinearity in the polymer film. According to the model, a new method to improve the optical poling efficiency is put forward.     

Design of all-optical temporal differentiator using a Moir fiber grating

We design and demonstrate an all-optical temporal differentiator based on a simple Moir fiber grating operated in reflection. The simulation results prove that a single Moir fiber grating with only one π-phase shifted point can act as the first-order temporal differentiator and that a Moir fiber grating incorporating two symmetrical π-phase shifted points can act as the second-order temporal differentiator. A practical Moir fiber grating is fabricated, thereby proving that such a grating can act as the first-order temporal differentiator. Our results verify the feasibility, flexibility, and accuracy of the proposed method.     

Single-wall carbon nanotube assisted all-optical wavelength conversion at 2.05 μm

We fully demonstrate the special requirements of a mid-infrared all-optical wavelength converter. The construction mechanism of a 2.05 μm all-optical wavelength converter based on the single-wall carbon nanotube [SWCNT) is proposed.Systematic experiments are carried out, and the converter device is successfully developed. With the assistance of SWCNT-coated microfiber, the conversion efficiency up to-45.57 d B is realized, and the tuning range can reach9.72 nm. The experimental results verify th...     

An all-optical comparison scheme between two multi-bit data with optical nonlinear material

Over the last few decades,several all-optical circuits have been proposed to meet the need of high-speed data processing.In some information processing architectures,the role of various analog and digital data comparisons is very important.In this letter,we proposed a multi-bit data comparison scheme.The scheme is based on the switching property of optical nonlinear material.Ultrafast operational speed larger than gigahertz can be expected from this all-optical scheme.     

Widely tunable all-optical wavelength converter based on four-wave mixing using two orthogonally polarized pumps

The principle of broad-band orthogonal-pump (BOP) four-wave mixing in semiconductor optical amplifiers is analyzed in theory. The conversion efficiency reduces rapidly as the detuning of wavelength between the signal and pump increase which can be solved by introducing a BOP method. The constant conversion efficiency and signal-to-noise ratio are obtained over a large wavelength detuning range. The wavelength conversion efficiency with variation smaller than 3.88 dB over 52-nm range has been experimentally demonstrated by using BOP, with the 10-GHz output of distributed feedback/electro-absorption modulator as signal. Conventional single-pump scheme is also performed for comparison and the experimental results fit well with the theory.     

Ultrafast all-optical demultiplexer based on monolithic Mach–Zehnder interferometer with integrated semiconductor optical amplifiers

A monolithically integrated and fully packaged Mach–Zehnder interferometer with semiconductor optical amplifiers (MZI-SOA) is demonstrated as polarisation-independent high-speed demultiplexer for up to 160 Gbit/s optical time division multiplexed (OTDM) data streams.     

Second-order optical nonlinearities from χ gratings induced by holographic all-optical poling

The paper presents the second-order optical nonlinearities from χ⁽²⁾ gratings induced by holographic all-optical poling for azobenzene polymer. Second harmonic (SH) signal along the directions with two different vectors was measured. One is strong SH signal diffracted in the same direction as 2ω writing beam with wave vector k_2ω and the other is weak SH signal diffracted in the direction of wave vector of 4k_ω - k_2ω + Δk where k_ω is wave vector of ω beam and Δk is the wave vector mismatch whose vector is parallel to k_ω. The latter signal was used as a tool to monitor the formation of holographic χ⁽²⁾ gratings in real-time because it has off-axis wave vector different from both k_ω and k_2ω. The increase of 2ω intensity on poling process led to the large increase of second-order optical nonlinearity. The real-time monitoring showed that it also gave the large relaxation of second-order optical nonlinearity on poling process. The increase of 2ω (532 nm) energy enhanced the increase of local heating, which led to easier alignment of azobenzene chromophore and also larger relaxation of aligned chromophore.     

Improved all-optical OR logic gate based on combined Brillouin gain and loss in an optical fiber

Improved all-optical OR gates are proposed, using a novel fiber nonlinearity-based technique, based on the principles of combined Brillouin gain and loss in a polarization-maintaining fiber （PMF）. Switching contrasts are simulated to be between 82.4%-83.6%, for two respective configurations, and switching time is comparable to the phonon relaxation time in stimulated Brillouin scattering （SBS）.     

An all-optical switch of Mach－Zehnder interferometer type using an active fibre ring resonator

We propose an all-optical switch of the Mach－Zehnder interferometer type using an active nonlinear ring resonator and analyse the significance of the parameter A, a product of gain and total loss, for performing an ideal 1 by 2 switch. We found that in the range of 1-κ≤A≤\sqrt{1-κ}, the increment of A can compensate the losses inside the ring, therefore increase the finesse of the ring and enhance the nonlinearity contribution to reduce the switching power threshold effectively. We also emphasize the importance of the initial switching point and discuss the feasibility of utilizing a high-nonlinear fibre in the ring.     

Demonstration of 10 Gbps, all-optical encryption and decryption system utilizing SOA XOR logic gates

An all-optical encryption system built on the basis of electrical logic circuit design principles is proposed, using semiconductor optical amplifier (SOA) exclusive or (XOR) logic gates. Numerical techniques (steady-state and dynamic) were employed in a sequential manner to optimize the system parameters, speeding up the overall design process. The results from both numerical and experimental testbeds show that the encoding/decoding of the optical signal can be achieved at a 10 Gbps data rate with a conventional SOA cascade without serious degradation in the data quality.     

Cutting-Edge Technologies on Broadband and Scalable Photonic-Network—Packet switched networks based on all-optical label processing—

Ultra-high speed all-optical label processing methods are proposed and experimentally demonstrated. These methods dramatically increase the label processing capability. Optical packet switch (OPS) systems and networks based on OPS nodes are expressed as an application of optical processing technologies. First, the 40 Gbit/s/port OPS prototype with all-optical label processor, optical switch, optical buffer, and electronic scheduler is described. The feasibility of OPS networks is verified by experimental demonstrations.     

An ultrafast all-optical asymmetric Fabry-Pérot switch based on bulk Be-doped InGaAsP grown by He-plasma-assisted epitaxy

We demonstrated ultrafast all-optical switching, using an asymmetric Fabry-Pérot device, based on bulk Be-doped InGaAsP grown by He-plasma-assisted molecular beam epitaxy. We achieved 5 ps switching window (1/e fall time) and a peak contrast ratio of 20 dB at 1.57 μm. High contrast (> 10 dB) was maintained over ～24 nm of bandwidth under switching energy density of 0.5 pJ/μm², and over ～40 nm of bandwidth when switching energy density was increased to 1.4 pJ/μm². The switching operation was independent of data pulse polarization, and could be potentially performed at high repetition rates.     

Designing of an all-optical time division multiplexing scheme with the help of nonlinear material based tree-net architecture

In the field of optical interconnecting network and in super fast photonic computing system, the tree architecture and optical nonlinear materials can play a significant role. Nonlinear optical material may find important uses in optical switching. Optical switch using nonlinear material makes it possible for one optical signal to control and switch another optical signal through nonlinear interaction in a material. In this communication such materials have been successfully exploited to design an all-optical tree-net architecture, which can be utilized for time division multiplexing scheme in all-optical domain.     

On the design of ultrafast all-optical NOT gate using quantum-dot semiconductor optical amplifier-based Mach–Zehnder interferometer

The feasibility of implementing an ultrafast NOT gate by means of a two-input Mach–Zehnder interferometer (MZI) that employs quantum-dot semiconductor optical amplifiers (QD-SOAs) is theoretically explored and shown. For this purpose a numerical treatment is conducted by modeling the propagation of strong pulses through a QD-SOA and the resultant change of the QD-SOA gain dynamics. This procedure allows to evaluate the impact of the critical parameters on the MZI complementary output port and find which is the most appropriate way to be selected and combined. The analysis of the simulation results reveals that with the non-data driven QD-SOA constantly held in the linear gain regime, the other QD-SOA, which is perturbed by the data to be logically inverted, must be operated in a nonlinear regime. This is defined by the drop of the specific QD-SOA gain by approximately 5.5 dB from its unsaturated value, which is caused by a data peak power being 4 dB higher than its saturation input power. Moreover, in order for the design to be complete, both QD-SOAs must be of medium length, provide a maximum modal gain such that their net gain exceeds by two orders of magnitude that at transparency, be biased at moderate current density and exhibit an electron relaxation time from the excited state to the ground state as fast as possible. Provided that these conditions are satisfied then a more than adequate extinction ratio can be obtained, which ensures that Boolean NOT logic is executed at 160 Gb/s both with logical correctness and high quality using QD-SOAs in a structurally simple, power efficient and operationally flexible version of the MZI.     

Novel 64×2.5 Gb/s all-optical OFDM symbol generator based on triangle waveform driving-LiNbO_3 modulators

<正>We propose a novel and simple all-optical 160-Gb/s orthogonal frequency division multiplexing(OFDM) symbol generator which is based on discrete triangle waveform driving-LiNbO_3 modulators to realize large-range linear optical shift.The entire system needs 64 discrete modulators:at the transmitter,a 2.5-Gb/s optical duobinary(ODB) modulator for data modulation and a 2.5-Gb/s triangle waveform driving-LiNbO_3 phase modulator for phase shift to generate each subcarrier;and at the receiver,a 2.5-GHz optical band pass filter(OBPF) using Faraday anomalous dispersion optical effect to separate them.Excellent bit error rate(BER) is observed after 1060 km of transmission without any dispersion compensation.