Controlling the optical bistability and multistability in a two-level pumped-probe system

We study the behavior of the optical bistability (OB) and multistability (OM) in a two-level pumped-probe atomic system by means of a unidirectional ring cavity. We show that the optical bistability in a two-level atomic system can be controlled by adjusting the intensity of the pump field and the detuning between two fields. We find that applying the pumping field decreases the threshold of the optical bistability.     

Controllable optical bistability and multistability in asymmetric double quantum wells via spontaneously generated coherence

We investigate the nonlinear optical phenomena of the optical bistability and multistability via spontaneously generated coherence in an asymmetric double quantum well structure coupled by a weak probe field and a controlling field. It is shown that the threshold and hysteresis cycle of the optical bistability can be conveniently controlled only by adjusting the intensity of the SGC or the controlling field. Moreover, switching between optical bistability and multistability can be achieved. These studies may have practical significance for the preparation of optical bistable switching device.     

Optical bistability and multistability in a three-level Δ-type atomic system under the nonresonant condition

Under a nonresonant condition, we theoretically investigate hybrid absorptive-dispersive optical bistability and multistability behaviours in a three-level Δ-type system by using a microwave field to drive a hyperfine transition between two upper excited states inside a unidirectional ring cavity. We find that the optical bistability and multistability behaviours can be controlled by adjusting the intensity of the microwave field or the intensity of the coherent coupling field. Furthermore, our studies show an interesting phenomenon of the transition from the optical bistability to the optical multistability only by changing the negative detuning of the coupling field into the positive detuning of the coupling field.     

Controlling the optical bistability via interacting dark-state resonances

We analyze the behavior of optical bistability in a four-level mercury atomic system driven by a cavity and two external coherent fields by means of a unidirectional ring cavity. We find that without interacting dark resonances and for large intensity of coupling field, the optical bistability disappears. So, the double dark resonances could significantly establish the optical bistability. Moreover, we demonstrate that the double dark resonances can dramatically reduce the threshold of optical bistability.     

Optical bistability using quantum coherence in a microwave-driven four-level atomic system

The behavior of the optical bistability (OB) is investigated in an optical system which consists of a four-level atomic system with a microwave drive field and an optical cavity. It is found that the optical bistability can be accomplished by adjusting different physical parameters in both steady and transient process. Due to the existence of the microwave drive field, the optical bistability can be also obtained even under weak coherent coupling field condition. Since the intensity and phase of microwave drive field can be conveniently modulated, this optical system provides a new experimental method to test the optical bistability theory.     

Influence of Fano interference and incoherent processes on optical bistability in a four-level quantum dot nanostructure

Role of Fano interference and incoherent pumping field on optical bistability in a four-level designed In Ga N/Ga N quantum dot nanostructure embedded in a unidirectional ring cavity are analyzed. It is found that intensity threshold of optical bistability can be manipulated by Fano interference. It is shown that incoherent pumping fields make the threshold of optical bistability behave differently by Fano interference. Moreover, in the presence of Fano interference the medium becomes phase-dependent. Therefore, the relative phase of applied fields can affect the behaviors of optical bistability and intensity threshold can be controlled easily.     

Phase-dependent optical bistability and multistability in a semiconductor quantum well system

We theoretically investigate the hybrid absorptive-dispersive optical bistability and multistability in a four-level inverted-Y quantum well system inside a unidirectional ring cavity. We find that the coupling field, the pumping field as well as the cycling field can affect the optical bistability and multistability dramatically, which can be used to manipulate efficiently the threshold intensity and the hysteresis loop. The effects of the relative phase and the electronic cooperation parameter on the OB and OM are also studied. Our study is much more practical than its atomic counterpart due to its flexible design and the wide adjustable parameters. Thus, it may provide some new possibilities for technological applications in optoelectronics and solid-state quantum information science.     

Sensitivity enhanced all-optical switching using prism-grating coupled surface plasmon modes

A sensitivity enhanced all-optical-switch design using prism-sinusoidal grating coupled surface plasmon modes is demonstrated numerically. Owing to the simultaneous excitation of surface plasmons for the pump and signal at the interface between a nonlinear waveguide layer and a metal layer, a sensitivity enhanced bistability effect in the structure can be obtained. The nonlinear refractive index of the waveguide layer experiences an abrupt change of the local pump field owing to this bistability effect. Such a characteristic greatly improves the performance of optical switch by reducing the threshold pump intensity. An all-optical-switch design with a pump threshold as low as 0.9 GW/cm² is presented.     

Optical bistability via quantum interference from incoherent pumping and spontaneous emission

We theoretically investigate the optical bistability (OB) in a V-type three-level atomic system confined in a unidirectional ring cavity via incoherent pumping field. It is shown that the threshold of optical bistability can be controlled by the rate of an incoherent pumping field and by interference mechanism arising from the spontaneous emission and incoherent pumping field. We demonstrate that the optical bistability converts to optical multi-stability (OM) by the quantum interference mechanism.     

Control of the switch between optical multistability and bistability in three-level V-type atoms

We theoretically investigated a hybrid absorptive-dispersive optical bistability and multistability behaviour in a three-level V-type system using a microwave field driving a hyperfine transition between two upper excited states inside a unidirectional ring cavity. We find that the intensity and the frequency detuning of the coupling field as well as the intensity of the microwave field can affect the OM behaviour dramatically, which can be used to control the transition from OM to OB or vice versa without need to resort the effect of the quantum interference. The effects of the phase, the quantum interference and the atomic cooperation parameter on the OM are also studied. Our scheme may be used for building more efficient all-optical switches and logic-gate devices for optical computing and quantum information processing.     

Optical Bistability and Multistability in an EIT Medium with Two-Photon Resonance Transitions

Intensity threshold of optical bistability (OB) and optical multistability (OM) can be controlled by amplitude and phase control of microwave driven field in the two-photon resonance transitions in a parametric region. It is found that in two-photon resonance case, the weak microwave field can reduce the threshold of optical bistability and strong microwave field can lead to optical multistability. The effect of relative phase between applied fields is also discussed. It is shown that for weak and strong microwave field, intensity threshold of OB and OM can be modified. Moreover, it is found that for strong microwave field, relative phase has an essential role for switching between OB and OM or vice versa.     

Optical bistability and multi-stability in a four-level atomic scheme

We investigate the optical bistability (OB) and optical multi-stability (OM) in a four-level Y-type atomic system. It is found that the optical bistability can strongly be affected by intensity and frequency detuning of coupling and probe fields. The effect of spontaneously generated coherence on phase control of the OB and OM is then discussed. It has also been shown that the optical bistability can be switched to optical multi-stability just by the quantum interference mechanism and relative phase of applied fields.     

Optical bistability in defective photonic multilayers doped by graphene

We study the optical bistability (OB) in photonic multilayers doped by graphene sheets, stacking two Bragg reflectors with a defect layer between the reflectors. OB stems from the nonlinear effect of graphene, so the local field of defect mode (DM) could enhance the nonlinearity and reduce the thresholds of bistability. The structure achieves the tunability of bistability due to that the DM frequency and transmittance could be modulated by the chemical potential. Bistability thresholds and interval of the two stable states could be remarkably reduced by decreasing the chemical potential. A lager Bragg periodic number could increase the localizing of field, but the graphene loss may decrease the intensity of transmission light. We have concluded an appropriate periodic number to achieve OB. The study suggests that the tunable bistability of the structure could be used for all-optical switches in optical communication systems.     

非共振条件下∧型三能级原子系统光学双稳态和多稳态的控制

非共振条件下,我们理论研究了单向环形光腔中用一微波场驱动一个超精细低能态跃迁的∧型三能级原子系统光学双稳态和多稳态行为,结果表明原子介质双稳态的行为可以分别通过耦合场的强度和耦合场频率的失谐量控制,同时还发现微波场在实现多稳态过程中所起的重要作用.最后讨论了合作参数对光学多稳态阈值的影响.     

Optical bistability by two laser beams in photorefractive crystals

For a nonlinear medium, a given incident laser beam may produce different transmitted light waves. This phenomenon (the so-called optical bistability) corresponds to multiple solutions of the boundary value problems of the nonlinear Helmholtz equation. Optical bistability can be useful in the design of optical switches. Devices that display this behavior could potentially play a major role in the development of optical communication systems and computing. In this article we present experimental results concerning the optical bistability in photorefractive BaTiO₃:Fe crystal. Two laser beams were used to interact with the photorefractive crystal which resulted in the bistability of the intensity of transmitted wave. This was achieved without the application of any optical resonator. High contrast optical bistability is found experimentally in the pump-ratio dependence of the output intensity.     

Influence of nonlinear absorption effects on optical bistability in semiconductor ring resonators

We present a theoretical investigation of optical bistability in a nonlinear semiconductor ring resonator, by taking into account the two-photon absorption and the free-carrier absorption. By solving the intensity equation within the ring resonator, a parametric formulation is obtained for describing the bistability relation between the input and the output intensities. Numerical results show that the nonlinear absorption effects can affect the critical points and domain of the optical bistability.     

非线性光学薄膜输出特性的研究

对单层、双层非线性光学薄膜的输出特性进行数值计算,发现材料非线性特性对光学双稳态输出特性影响较大,而选择合适的双层结构可以获得较低的双稳态阈值光强以及光放大作用。双层非线性光学薄膜间的距离以及入射光的准直性极大地影响着双稳态输出特性.     

非旋波耦合条件下微波控制的光学双稳与多稳

研究了在非旋波耦合条件下微波场建立的原子相干对光学双稳与多稳的控制.通过改变微波场的初始相位,可以有效地控制双稳与多稳的存在与否、迟滞环宽度和阈值强度的高低.旋波和非旋波耦合在物理上可视为双色激发,耦合的能级分裂成无穷多个子能级,原来的裸态跃迁变成无穷多个不同频率的跃迁.这些跃迁的相干叠加决定了介质的非线性吸收与色散,相干叠加的结果取决于微波场的相位. 关键词： 原子相干 非旋波耦合 光学双稳与多稳 相位控制     

Controllable Optical Bistability in a Crystal of Molecular Magnets System

We investigate the formation of optical bistability (OB) in a crystal of molecular magnets contained in a unidirectional ring cavity. The crystal is subjected to one dc magnetic field and two (probe and coupling) ac resonant magnetic field. The results show that OB can be controlled efficiently by adjusting the intensity of the control field, the detuning of probe magnetic field and the cooperation parameter. Furthermore, within certain parameter range, the optical multistablity (OM) can also be observed in the crystal medium. This investigation can be used for designing new types of nonelectronic devices for realizing switching process.     

Optical bistability and multistability via double dark resonance in graphene nanostructure

Electrons in graphene nanoribbons can lead to exceptionally strong optical responses in the infrared and terahertz regions owing to their unusual dispersion relation.Therefore,on the basis of quantum optics and solid-material scientific principles,we show that optical bistability and multistability can be generated in graphene nanostructure under strong magnetic field.We also show that by adjusting the intensity and detuning of infrared laser field,the threshold intensity and hysteresis loop can be manipulated efficiently.The effects of the electronic cooperation parameter which are directly proportional to the electronic number density and the length of the graphene sample are discussed.Our proposed model may be useful for the nextgeneration all-optical systems and information processing based on nano scale devices.