Ultrafast Optical Switches

Abstract

All-optical switches have attracted much attention because they are key devices for high-speed optical data processing systems and optical communication systems. Nonlinear optical effects induced by ultrashort pulses at low light power levels are required for the realization of such devices. In other words, materials with a large and fast third-order nonlinear optical response have been expected to achieve all-optical switching. In Chap. 1, the third-order nonlinear optical properties of several nonlinear optical materials, such as glasses, glasses doped with metal nanoparticles, and organic materials, were described. In this chapter, two kinds of ultrafast optical switches that are demonstrated with femtosecond laser pulses are introduced: THz optical switching in glasses containing bismuth oxide [335] and ultrafast optical Kerr-shutters using metal-nanoparticle dispersed glasses [336].