title: All-optical transistor action with bistable switching in a photonic crystal cross-waveguide geometry.
abstract: We demonstrate all-optical switching action in a nonlinear photonic crystal cross-waveguide geometry with instantaneous Kerr nonlinearity, in which the transmission of a signal can be reversibly switched on and off by a control input. Our geometry accomplishes both spatial and spectral separation between the signal and the control in the nonlinear regime. The device occupies a small footprint of a few micrometers squared and requires only a few milliwatts of power at a 10-Gbit/s switching rate by use of Kerr nonlinearity in AlGaAs below half the electronic bandgap. We also show that the switching dynamics, as revealed by both coupled-mode theory and finite-difference time domain simulations, exhibits collective behavior that can be exploited to generate high-contrast logic levels and all-optical memory.
authors.affiliation: Ginzton Laboratory, Stanford University, Stanford, California 94304, USA.
authors.forename: Mehmet Fatih
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Yanik
authors.forename: Shanhui
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Fan
authors.forename: Marin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Soljacić
authors.forename: J D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Joannopoulos