Abstract

All-optical switching devices can simplify optical networks by allowing optically-controlled routing of signals. In this context vertical cavity (VC) devices are very attractive, for their insensitivity to beam polarization and easy coupling to optical fibers. At 1.55 µm wavelength, however, it is difficult to grow high reflectivity epitaxial mirrors lattice-matched to InP. For VC surface emitting lasers, a new approach, based on wafer-fusion, has been very successful to overcome this difficulty¹. In this technique, an InGaAsP structure, lattice-matched to InP is bonded to an AlAs/GaAs Bragg mirror, matched to GaAs. Here we present a wafer-fused VC bistable device at 1.55 µm. It is an all-optical device, with no electrode, based on the carrier-induced nonlinear refractive index of an InGaAsP epitaxial layer.

© 1996 IEEE