New all-optical switch based on the spatial soliton repulsion

Wu, Yaw‐Dong

doi:10.1364/oe.14.004005

Cited by 40 publications

(17 citation statements)

References 20 publications

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“…Subsequent studies extended the findings and explored applications; slight variation on the launch angle and relative phase was found to cause a soliton pair to merge into one of the original trajectories [3]. More recent efforts considered interactions in semiconductor media [4], incoherent interactions [5], all-optical switching [6], long-range interactions [7], and the dynamics of interacting, self-focusing beams [8].…”

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confidence: 91%

FDTD Computational Study of Ultra-Narrow TM Non-Paraxial Spatial Soliton Interactions

Lubin

Greene

Taflove

2011

IEEE Microw. Wireless Compon. Lett.

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Abstract-We consider the interaction between two (1+1)D ultra-narrow optical spatial solitons in a nonlinear dispersive medium using the finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) method for the transverse magnetic (TM) polarization. The model uses the general vector auxiliary differential equation (GVADE) approach to include multiple electric-field components, a Kerr nonlinearity, and multiple-pole Lorentz and Raman dispersive terms. This study is believed to be the first considering narrow soliton interaction dynamics for the TM case using the GVADE FDTD method, and our findings demonstrate the utility of GVADE simulation in the design of soliton-based optical switches.Index Terms-Finite-difference time-domain method, FDTD, GVADE, nonlinear optics, spatial solitons. SPATIAL optical solitons are self-trapped optical beams balancing diffraction and self-focusing due to intensity-induced modifications in the local refractive index. One fascinating feature of solitons is their deflection behavior when in the vicinity of other solitons. This can be exploited for applications in optical routing and guiding or in switching applications in all optical-based interconnects and nanocircuits (for example, [1]).The work by Aitchison, et al. first reported experimental observations that solitons either repel or attract each other with a periodic evolution over propagation, depending on the relative phase between them [2]. Subsequent studies extended the findings and explored applications; slight variation on the launch angle and relative phase was found to cause a soliton pair to merge into one of the original trajectories [3]. More recent efforts considered interactions in semiconductor media [4], incoherent interactions [5], all-optical switching [6], long-range interactions [7], and the dynamics of interacting, self-focusing beams [8].An effective numerical technique known as the beam propagation method (BPM) can be used to model soliton interaction. It is a Fourier-based algorithm that solves the nonlinear Schrodinger equation (NLSE) for the envelope of the field. It typically requires low memory for computer implementation. Some limitations, however, are that it makes a scalar approximation, relies on paraxiality, and also depends on slowly-varying envelope conditions for validity without proper modifications Recently, a new FDTD algorithm was described, which can accommodate more than one electric-field component in media possessing both instantaneous and dispersive nonlinearities, as well as linear material dispersion. Known as the general vector auxiliary differential equation (GVADE) method [15], it has been applied to the study of soliton interactions with nanoscale air gaps embedded in glass [16]. Ultra-narrow solitons involve significant interactions between both longitudinal and transverse electric-field components [14] and the GVADE method accounts for this physics.In this study, we consider the problem of modeling interacting spatial solitons with beamwidths on the order of one wavelength using the GVADE FDTD metho...

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confidence: 91%

FDTD Computational Study of Ultra-Narrow TM Non-Paraxial Spatial Soliton Interactions

Lubin

Greene

Taflove

2011

IEEE Microw. Wireless Compon. Lett.

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“…Specifically, we highlight that our results may play a key role in many future applications. For example, configurations involving bright spatial-soliton switching [36], logic [37], and dragging [38] could be extended to involve dark solitons. Solution (11) also opens up the possibility of additional novel studies involving angular geometries, such as interactions between bistable dark solitons, and also between bistable bright and dark solitons.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Bistable dark solitons of a cubic-quintic Helmholtz equation

2010

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We report, to the best of our knowledge, the first exact analytical bistable dark spatial solitons of a nonlinear Helmholtz equation with a cubic-quintic refractive-index model. Our analysis begins with an investigation of the modulational instability characteristics of Helmholtz plane waves. We then derive a dark soliton by mapping the desired asymptotic form onto a uniform background field, and obtain a more general solution by deploying rotational invariance laws in the laboratory frame. The geometry of the new soliton is explored in detail, and a range of new physical predictions is uncovered. Particular attention is paid to the unified phenomena of arbitrary-angle off-axis propagation and non-degenerate bistability. Crucially, the corresponding solution of paraxial theory emerges in a simultaneous multiple limit.We conclude with a set of computer simulations that examine the role of Helmholtz dark solitons as robust attractors.

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“…By employing the coherent coefficient of controlled soliton interaction [15], the transition between the attraction and repulsion of solitons can be easily realized. Based on the repulsive property of out-of-phase solitons [21], an all-optical switching device was proposed. Different from the mechanism of copropagating soliton interaction, the counterpropagating interaction between optical solitons has a new dynamic process and special property [16][17][18][19].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The soliton interaction could make the structure more complex and interesting, and therefore the available devices such as all-optical switch [21,23,36,37], X-junction [38] and Y-junction [39,40] can be proposed. Interestingly, Assanto and coworkers report all-optical steering based on the nonlinear interaction between orthogonally propagating beams in nematic liquid crystals [41,42].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%