Since the discovery of optical bistability a considerable amount of research activity has been aimed toward the realization of general-purpose all-optical computers. The basic premise for most of this work is the widely held notion that a reliable optical switch can be fabricated from a piece of optically bistable material. To date only a very small number of published articles have addressed the subject of the engineering issues (that is, the optimization and tolerancing) of these optical switches. This dissertation is a systematic treatment of these issues. From the starting point of Maxwell's equations a simple model of optically bistable Fabry-Perot etalons is outlined, in which the material is assumed to be a pure Kerr medium having linear absorption. This model allows for a relatively straightforward optical switch optimization procedure. The procedure is applicable for optimizing any number of switch parameters. The emphasis in this dissertation is on the optimization of the contrast of the switch's output signals, with the other parameters (switching energy, tolerance sensitivity) assuming a secondary yet critical role. Following the optimization of the optical switch is a tolerance analysis which addresses the manufacturability and noise immunity of the optimized switch. In the first part of this analysis equations describing the propagation of errors through a large scale system of like devices are derived from the truth tables of the switches themselves. From these equations worst case tolerances are established on the optical switch's transfer function parameters. In the second part of the tolerance analysis the bistability model is used to arrive at tolerances on the physical parameters of the switch. These tolerances are what determine the manufacturability of the optical switches. The major conclusion of the dissertation is that, within the range of validity of the model and the other simplifying assumptions, optically bistable Fabry-Perot etalons cannot be used reliably as logic gates in large-scale computing systems.

The synchronization of coupled semiconductor lasers with delay is investigated by numerical simulations of the nonlinear dynamic models complemented by a stability analysis of the linearized system. The equations used in the dissertation are based on the well known "Lang-Kobayashi" model modified to include unidirectional and bidirectional coupling. Stability diagrams are calculated and supplemented by numerically integrated time series. Synchronization is determined and quantified by computing the cross-correlation function. It is found that synchronized states are achievable for a wide range of coupling constants and delay times. These findings have implications for experiment and technological applications, notably in cryptography. / by Michael S. London. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--Florida Atlantic University, 2011. / Includes bibliography. / Electronic reproduction. Boca Raton, Fla., 2011. Mode of access: World Wide Web.

Acousto-optic hybrid bistable devices have been studied previously. However, previous studies are limited only to the first-Bragg regime involving two diffracted orders. No actual comparison has been made between experimental results and theoretical predictions. A model including both acousto-optic diffraction and a nonlinear feedback path is studied in this thesis. Theoretical results based on diffraction involving two and four diffracted orders have been obtained and compared. Experimental results confirm the validity of the theoretical model. The principle of operation is discussed along with experimental results. The performance of the bistable system is then studied. In the investigation, the Klein-Cook parameter, Q, has been introduced into the study. Methods to improve the performance of the system with a low Q acousto-optic device by adjusting the effective feedback gain and the operation point are suggested. Finally, a technique to measure the effective feedback gain has been derived. Future topics are suggested along with a modified and improved model. / Master of Science

The fundamental components for processing all-optically represented data, namely optical switches and logic gates are investigated. Improved techniques for fabricating nonlinear Fabry-Perot etalons containing GaAs have brought a proliferation of GaAs optical bistable devices. These devices show significant improvements in speed, power requirements, operating temperature and thermal stability. Experiments verify predictions that one can operate a single nonlinear etalon as optical logic gates or two such etalons as a flip-flop. Optimization of the logic gates is then discussed from a systems approach.

Thesis (Ph.D.)--Ohio University, June, 2007. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 186-191)

The conventional way of using a nonlinear Fabry-Perot cavity as an optical memory requires a negative pulse input to reset the state of the cavity. The possibility of using positive pulses to turn a system of nonlinear Fabry-Perot cavities on and off is studied and it was found that positive pulse switching is possible in a system of two coupled nonlinear cavities. First, Korpel and Lohmann's proposal of using polarization switching in a single nonlinear birefringent cavity was studied. After a detailed investigation of their proposal it was found that positive pulse switching in a single nonlinear Fabry-Perot cavity is not possible. One of the reasons is that the eigen-polarization states of the output of a nonlinear Fabry-Perot cavity cannot be switched independently. Although it is not possible to switch a single nonlinear Fabry-Perot cavity with positive pulses we were able to use the coupling of the eigen-polarization states to implement other kinds of optical switches which were demonstrated experimentally. The cross-talk effect in a metallic Fabry-Perot cavity was also studied. Next, a steady state model of a system of two coupled nonlinear Fabry-Perot cavities was developed and it was found that positive pulse switching is possible in such a system. The output can be turned on and off either by pulses sent into different cavities or by pulses of different magnitudes sent into one cavity. Finally, the dynamic behavior of the coupled cavities system was modeled by extending Goldstone and Garmire's model of a single cavity with one input to a system of two coupled cavities with two inputs. We verified by numerical calculations that positive pulse switching is also possible in the dynamic regime. / Ph. D.

Desenvolvemos um modelo teórico para tratar a mistura de várias ondas em meios absorvedores saturáveis, considerando a auto-difração de duas ondas incidentes numa grade de população, a qual é induzida no meio não-linear. O modelo foi investigado através de resultados experimentais observados em rubi (Al2O3:Cr3+), alexandrita (BeAl2O4:Cr3+) e GdAlO3: Cr3+. Demonstramos, pela primeira vez, transferência de energia por mistura não degenerada de duas ondas (NDTWM) em alexandrita e GdAlO3: Cr3+. Neste ultimo, também observamos a difração de primeira ordem do feixe forte e medimos a variação de sua intensidade com relação a velocidade de deslocamento da grade. No GdAlO3: Cr3+, medimos o espectro de absorção do estado excitado e o espectro da parte real do índice de refração não-linear em quatro linhas do laser de argônio e na região de 560-620 nm de um laser de corante operando com rodamina 6G. Os resultados indicam uma interação entre pares de cromo no estado excitado, seguida da absorção de um fóton, a qual pode explicar a variação da parte imaginaria n2 com a intensidade, conforme observado experimentalmente. Nós tentamos observar bi-estabilidade óptica em GdAlO3: Cr3+ mas não tivemos êxito, provavelmente por causa de efeitos transversais e também pelo aumento da absorção com a intensidade. Por outro lado, observamos um regime multi-estável numa cavidade Fabry-Perot vazia, onde o meio não-linear é o material usado na fabricação dos espelhos, que no caso foi o ZrO2. Também observamos comportamento multi-estável em filtros de inconel, causado pelo acoplamento termo-óptico entre o filtro e a radiação laser. / We have developed a new approach to deal with multi-wave mixing in saturable absorbing media, by considering the self diffraction of two incident waves in a population grating which is created by them in the nonlinear medium. Wehave also made experimental work on ruby (Al2O3:Cr3+), alexandrite (BeAl2O4:Cr3+) and GdAlO3: Cr3+ in order to compare with our theoretical model. We have demonstrated energy transfer by nearly degenerated two wave mixing (NDTWM) in alexandrite and GdAlO3: Cr3+ for the first time. We measured the intensity of the first order diffracted intense beam as a function of the frequency shift between the incident beams in GdAlO3: Cr3+. For this crystal, we have obtained the spectra of the excited state absorption and the real part of the nonlinear index at four wavelengths of an argon laser and in the range 560-620 nm of a rodamine 6G dye laser. These kinds of spectra had never been reported before in that material. The result seems to support our proposal of an excited chromium pair interaction with an additional photon absorption which can explain the observed variation of the imaginary part of the nonlinear Kerr index with the intensity. We tried to observe optical bistability in GdAlO3: Cr3+ but we were unsuccessful, probably due to strong transverse effects and increasing absorption with the intensity. However we observed multistable regime in empty Fabry-Perot cavities in which the mirrors were made of thin films of ZrO2 deposition. A multistable thermo-optical behavior in inconel filters was also observed.

Desenvolvemos um modelo teórico para tratar a mistura de várias ondas em meios absorvedores saturáveis, considerando a auto-difração de duas ondas incidentes numa grade de população, a qual é induzida no meio não-linear. O modelo foi investigado através de resultados experimentais observados em rubi (Al2O3:Cr3+), alexandrita (BeAl2O4:Cr3+) e GdAlO3: Cr3+. Demonstramos, pela primeira vez, transferência de energia por mistura não degenerada de duas ondas (NDTWM) em alexandrita e GdAlO3: Cr3+. Neste ultimo, também observamos a difração de primeira ordem do feixe forte e medimos a variação de sua intensidade com relação a velocidade de deslocamento da grade. No GdAlO3: Cr3+, medimos o espectro de absorção do estado excitado e o espectro da parte real do índice de refração não-linear em quatro linhas do laser de argônio e na região de 560-620 nm de um laser de corante operando com rodamina 6G. Os resultados indicam uma interação entre pares de cromo no estado excitado, seguida da absorção de um fóton, a qual pode explicar a variação da parte imaginaria n2 com a intensidade, conforme observado experimentalmente. Nós tentamos observar bi-estabilidade óptica em GdAlO3: Cr3+ mas não tivemos êxito, provavelmente por causa de efeitos transversais e também pelo aumento da absorção com a intensidade. Por outro lado, observamos um regime multi-estável numa cavidade Fabry-Perot vazia, onde o meio não-linear é o material usado na fabricação dos espelhos, que no caso foi o ZrO2. Também observamos comportamento multi-estável em filtros de inconel, causado pelo acoplamento termo-óptico entre o filtro e a radiação laser. / We have developed a new approach to deal with multi-wave mixing in saturable absorbing media, by considering the self diffraction of two incident waves in a population grating which is created by them in the nonlinear medium. Wehave also made experimental work on ruby (Al2O3:Cr3+), alexandrite (BeAl2O4:Cr3+) and GdAlO3: Cr3+ in order to compare with our theoretical model. We have demonstrated energy transfer by nearly degenerated two wave mixing (NDTWM) in alexandrite and GdAlO3: Cr3+ for the first time. We measured the intensity of the first order diffracted intense beam as a function of the frequency shift between the incident beams in GdAlO3: Cr3+. For this crystal, we have obtained the spectra of the excited state absorption and the real part of the nonlinear index at four wavelengths of an argon laser and in the range 560-620 nm of a rodamine 6G dye laser. These kinds of spectra had never been reported before in that material. The result seems to support our proposal of an excited chromium pair interaction with an additional photon absorption which can explain the observed variation of the imaginary part of the nonlinear Kerr index with the intensity. We tried to observe optical bistability in GdAlO3: Cr3+ but we were unsuccessful, probably due to strong transverse effects and increasing absorption with the intensity. However we observed multistable regime in empty Fabry-Perot cavities in which the mirrors were made of thin films of ZrO2 deposition. A multistable thermo-optical behavior in inconel filters was also observed.

No description available.

Submitted by Murilo Oliveira (murilo.oliveira@df.ufscar.br) on 2018-05-28T14:03:10Z No. of bitstreams: 1 MuriloOliveira_dissertacao.pdf: 3213764 bytes, checksum: eaf61f839f12dceed4b235ef7970e674 (MD5) / Rejected by Ronildo Prado (ri.bco@ufscar.br), reason: Oi Murilo, Faltou enviar a Carta comprovante assinada pelo orientador. Solicite o modelo em sua Secretaria de Pós-graduação, preencha e colete a assinatura com o orientador e acesse novamente o sistema para fazer o Upload. Fico no aguardo para finalizarmos o processo. Abraços Ronildo on 2018-06-04T17:58:14Z (GMT) / Submitted by Murilo Oliveira (murilo.oliveira@df.ufscar.br) on 2018-06-04T18:39:43Z No. of bitstreams: 2 MuriloOliveira_dissertacao.pdf: 3213764 bytes, checksum: eaf61f839f12dceed4b235ef7970e674 (MD5) IMG_20180604_0001.pdf: 522878 bytes, checksum: b7fa478fbcdf1b45955f8a02f8403af0 (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Ronildo Prado (ri.bco@ufscar.br) on 2018-06-06T17:29:19Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 2 MuriloOliveira_dissertacao.pdf: 3213764 bytes, checksum: eaf61f839f12dceed4b235ef7970e674 (MD5) IMG_20180604_0001.pdf: 522878 bytes, checksum: b7fa478fbcdf1b45955f8a02f8403af0 (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Ronildo Prado (ri.bco@ufscar.br) on 2018-06-06T17:32:09Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 2 MuriloOliveira_dissertacao.pdf: 3213764 bytes, checksum: eaf61f839f12dceed4b235ef7970e674 (MD5) IMG_20180604_0001.pdf: 522878 bytes, checksum: b7fa478fbcdf1b45955f8a02f8403af0 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2018-06-06T17:32:18Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 2 MuriloOliveira_dissertacao.pdf: 3213764 bytes, checksum: eaf61f839f12dceed4b235ef7970e674 (MD5) IMG_20180604_0001.pdf: 522878 bytes, checksum: b7fa478fbcdf1b45955f8a02f8403af0 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2018-02-28 / Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq) / The aim of this work is to study the electromagnetically induced transparency (EIT) and the coherent population trapping (CPT) phenomena in three-level systems, such as atoms and quantum dot molecules (QDM). The present work can be basically divided into two parts. The first one focus on comparing and explaining the differences between the optical reponses of systems composed by atoms and QDM and on proposing a possible application in cavity linewidth narrowing. In the second part, we turn our attention to the study of controlable optical bistability in three-level systems in the regime of CPT, bringing new perspectives to the study of these bistable systems and some practical applications as well. / O presente trabalho de mestrado tem como objetivo estudar o fenômeno da transparência eletromagneticamente induzida (EIT) e do aprisionamento coerente de populações (CPT) em sistemas de três níveis, como átomos e moléculas de ponto quântico (QDM). Essa dissertação pode ser dividida basicamente em duas partes. A primeira se encarrega de comparar e explicar a origem das diferenças observadas na resposta óptica de sistemas compostos por átomos e sistemas compostos por QDM, bem como propor uma possível aplicação para o sistema de QDM no estreitamento da largura de linha de cavidades. Já a segunda parte consiste de um estudo da biestabilidade óptica controlável em sistemas de 3 de níveis no regime de CPT, trazendo novas perspectivas de estudo desses sistemas biestáveis e aplicações como sensores de pequenas flutuações de frequência ou de amplitudes de campos eletromagnéticos. / CNPq: 131392/2016-6