OPTICAL BISTABILITY AND ALL-OPTICAL SWITCHING IN NOVEL WAVE-GUIDE JUNCTIONS WITH LOCALIZED OPTICAL NONLINEARITY

We propose novel all-optical guided-wave devices using the structure w ith localized third-order optical nonlinearity where only a selected p art of a waveguide both in a cross section and along a propagation dir ection is made from a Kerr-like nonlinear material and the rest are ma de from linear ones. Optical bistable devices and all-optical switchin g devices are realizable by utilizing bistable like nonlinear dispersi on characteristics in selectively nonlinear guided-wave systems. Optic al bistability and all-optical switching characteristics are analyzed in waveguide Y-junctions adopted the scheme by using a modified BPM co mbined with the normal mode analysis. The method to realize the guided -wave structure with localized nonlinearity is also discussed.