title: Optical bistability based on self-focusing.
abstract: 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.
authors.affiliation: Bell Laboratories, Holmdel, New Jersey 07733, USA.
authors.forename: J E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Bjorkholm
authors.forename: P W
authors.initials: PW
authors.lastname: Smith
authors.forename: W J
authors.initials: WJ
authors.lastname: Tomlinson
authors.forename: A E
authors.initials: AE
authors.lastname: Kaplan