Abstract

All-optical TDM gate switches utilizing the intensity-dependent refractive index of third- order nonlinear-optical materials (optical Kerr materials) are promising for obtaining switching times much faster than those of semiconductor optical devices. Optical gating experiments, such as signal demultiplexing and optical logic operations on picosecond time scales, have been carried out using switches with silica glass fibers [1,2]. Although these fibers do not exhibit high nonlinearity, they are frequently used as nonlinear media because of their long interaction length (~ 1 km) and intensity confinement. This paper demonstrates the feasibility of efficient fiber switches using much more highly nonlinear- optical materials, enabling a fiber length 1/1000 that of switches using the conventional silica glass.

© 1994 Optical Society of America