Abstract

We report the fastest ON/OFF switching bistable optical device yet demonstrated. The device consists of a 13-μm thick CdS platelet in a Fabry-Perot cavity formed by two external mirrors with 90% reflectivity. Very well-defined OM and OFF states with switching times of < 1 nsec (ON) and 2 nsec (OFF) are observed when the laser frequency is tuned to within about one halfwidth below the inhomogeneously broadened bound exciton resonance in CdS. In Fig. 1, the Input and output pulse forms are shown revealing the fast switching.

© 1985 Optical Society of America