title: Optical bistability in nonlinear periodic structures.
abstract: Optical switching and optical bistability and multistability are observed experimentally with a nonlinear periodic structure. The periodic dielectric is a colloidal crystal that exhibits a large electrostrictive nonlinearity. The transmission characteristics of these crystals as a function of incident intensity are presented for several different frequencies of light within the stopgap of the periodic structures.
authors.forename: C J
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Herbert
authors.forename: M S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Malcuit