Symmetric Mach-Zehnder all-optical device

• US 5,535,001 A
• Filed: 07/01/1994
• Issued: 07/09/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 07/02/1993
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: NEC Corporation
• Original Assignee: NEC Corporation
• Inventors: Tajima, Kazuhito
• Primary Examiner(s): Gonzalez, Frank
• Assistant Examiner(s): Kim, Robert
• Application Number:
  US08/269,575
• Time in Patent Office: 739 Days
• Field of Search: 385/1-3, 385/122, 385/12, 385/141, 385/13, 356/345
• US Class Current: 356/477
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/212 Mach-Zehnder type
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/225 in an optical waveguide structure
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/3136 of interferometric switch type
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/3517 using an interferometer
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 3/00 Optical logic elements; Optical bistable devices

Abstract

The Mach-Zehnder type all-optical device for controlling a signal light with a control light, includes two arms for constituting a Mach-Zehnder configuration, each of the arms being constituted at least partially of material having third order optical nonlinearity, and an introducer of a control light to a portion of each of the arms revealing the optical nonlinearity.

Claims

1. A Mach-Zehnder type all-optical device for controlling a signal light with a control light, comprising:

first and second arms for constituting a Mach-Zehnder configuration, each of said arms having at least a portion thereof composed of nonlinear material having third order optical nonlinearity characteristics;

first means introducing a first control light to said nonlinear portion of said first arm; and

second means introducing a second control light, which has a time difference from said first control light, to said nonlinear portion of said second arm.

2. A Mach-Zehnder type all-optical device in accordance with claim 1, wherein the optical nonlinearity of said arms being approximately identical with each other.

3. A Mach-Zehnder type all-optical device in accordance with claim 1 further comprising means for splitting a control light into two beams and introducing said beams to said nonlinear portions of said arms.

4. A Mach-Zehnder type all-optical device in accordance with claim 3, wherein there is a time gap between the introduction of each of said two beams, wherein the time gap is shorter than the relaxation time of said optical nonlinearity.

5. A Mach-Zehnder type all-optical device for controlling a signal light with a control light, comprising:

first and second arms for constituting a Mach-Zehnder configuration, each of said arms having at least a portion thereof composed of nonlinear material having absorption saturation characteristics and nonlinear refractive index change associated therewith;

first means introducing a first control light to said nonlinear portion of said first arm; and

second means introducing a second control light, which has a time difference from said first control light, to said nonlinear portion of said second arm.

6. A Mach-Zehnder type all-optical device for controlling a signal light with a control light, comprising:

two arms for constituting a Mach-Zehnder configuration, each of said arms having a plurality of portions composed of nonlinear material having third order optical nonlinearity characteristics;

means for introducing a control light to each of said plurality of portions.

7. A Mach-Zehnder type all-optical device in accordance with claim 6, wherein the optical nonlinearity of said arms being approximately identical with each other.

8. A Mach-Zehnder type all-optical device in accordance with claim 6 further comprising means for splitting a control light into two beams and introducing said beam to said plurality of portions.

9. A Mach-Zehnder type all-optical device in accordance with claim 8, wherein there is a time gap between the introduction of said two beams, wherein the time gap is shorter than the time of said optical nonlinearity.

10. A Mach-Zehnder type all-optical device for controlling a signal light with a control light, comprising:

two arms for constituting a Mach-Zehnder configuration, each of said arms having a plurality of portions composed of nonlinear material having absorption saturation characteristics and nonlinear refractive index change associated therewith; and

means for introducing a control light to each of said plurality of portions.

11. A Mach-Zehnder type all-optical device for controlling a signal light with a control light, comprising;

two arms constituting a Mach-Zehnder configuration, each of said arms having at least a portion composed of nonlinear material; and

means for introducing a control light to each nonlineaar portion of each arm, wherein a time gap exists between the introduction of the control light to each of said arms.

12. A Mach-Zehnder type all-optical device for controlling a signal light with a control light, comprising:

two arms for constituting a Mach-Zehnder configuration, each of said arms having at least a portion thereof composed of nonlinear material having third order optical nonlinearity characteristics; and

means introducing a control light to said nonlinear portion of each said arm; and

means splitting a control light into two beams and introducing said beams to said nonlinear portions of said arms wherein there is a time gap between the introduction of each of said two beams, wherein the time gap is shorter than the relaxation time of said optical nonlinearity.