Optical bistability based on self-focusing.
We experimentally demonstrate a fundamentally new type of intrinsic optical bistability that requires no resonant optical cavity. Operation is based on mutual self-focusing of counterpropagating laser beams in a nonlinear medium.
Bjorkholm
J E
JE
Bell Laboratories, Holmdel, New Jersey 07733, USA.
Smith
P W
PW
Tomlinson
W J
WJ
Kaplan
A E
AE