A New Architecture for Optical Data Processing Devices by the Application of Bistability in Luminescence

Recently, we have discovered that—besides the all-optical photo-thermal bistability in transmission—the excitation of thin CdS films with the 514.5 nm line of an argon laser causes all-optical bistability in the luminescent radiation. The emitted radiation of the CdS layers lies far enough in the infrared region of the spectrum so that all-optical bistability in luminescence can be observed through GaAs wafers, i.e. an all-optical bistable loop remains in the direction of the propagation of the incident laser beam even though GaAs is strongly absorptive at the excitation wavelength. On the basis of this penetrating feature of all-optical bistability, we present a new concept for an architecture of future optical data processing devices.