Open AccessOptical multistability in a silicon-core silica-cladding fiber
Author(s) -
I. Temnykh,
Neil F. Baril,
Zhiwen Liu,
John V. Badding,
Venkatraman Gopalan
Publication year - 2010
Publication title -
optics express
Language(s) - Uncategorized
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.394
H-Index - 271
ISSN - 1094-4087
DOI - 10.1364/oe.18.005305
Subject(s) - materials science , optics , cladding (metalworking) , optical fiber , silicon , wavelength , optical bistability , zero dispersion wavelength , optoelectronics , resonator , silica fiber , bistability , photonic crystal fiber , hard clad silica optical fiber , dispersion shifted fiber , fiber laser , nonlinear optics , laser , fiber optic sensor , physics , metallurgy
We fabricate a novel silicon-core silica-cladding optical fiber using high pressure chemical fluid deposition and investigate optical transmission characteristics at the telecommunications wavelength of 1550 nm. High thermo-optic and thermal expansion coefficients of silicon give rise to a thermal phase shift of 6.3 rad/K in a 4 mm-long, 6.9 microm diameter fiber acting as a Fabry-Perot resonator. Using both power and wavelength modulation, we observe all-optical bistability at a low threshold power of 15 mW, featuring intensity transitions of 1.4 dB occurring over <0.1 pm change in wavelength. Threshold powers for higher-order multistable states are predicted. Tristability is experimentally confirmed.