title: Bistable ring resonator utilizing saturable photorefractive gain and loss.
abstract: We demonstrate the bistable behavior of a unidirectional ring resonator that employs photorefractive loss as well as photorefractive gain. The gain and loss are established by two-beam coupling in two separate photorefractive BaTiO(3) crystals. Two-beam coupling loss plays the role of a programmable saturable absorber. Irreversible bistability occurs when the maximum net gain exceeds unity, while reversable bistability is obtained when the maximum net gain is less than one.
authors.forename: D M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Lininger
authors.forename: P J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Martin
authors.forename: D Z
authors.initials: DZ
authors.lastname: Anderson