Noise-induced switching of photonic logic elements

Journal Article · Sun Feb 01 04:00:00 EST 1987 · Phys. Rev. A; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevA.35.1172· OSTI ID:6865069

Filipowicz, P; Garrison, J C; Meystre, P; Wright, E M

We study the stability of optical bistable elements against holding-field noise by considering the specific case of a purely dispersive Kerr medium. For small devices, i.e., those for which the round-trip time is small compared to the material-response time, we show that operation of an optical switch with a holding-field intensity a few percent away from the switching value will not be subject to problems due to the noise in the holding laser. This is due to the extremely rapid increase of the average time between noise-induced switching events as the distance, in intensity, from the switching point increases. White noise or Ornstein-Uhlenbeck noise models are not sufficiently smooth for a correct description of this problem, and so we use a more elaborate colored-noise model to evaluate the diffusion constant in the Fokker-Planck equation for the nonlinear phase shift. The time between switching events is then obtained by solving a first-passage-time problem.

• Research Organization: Max-Planck Institut fuer Quantenoptik, D-8046 Garching bei Muenchen, Federal Republic of Germany
• OSTI ID: 6865069
• Journal Information: Phys. Rev. A; (United States), Journal Name: Phys. Rev. A; (United States) Vol. 35:3; ISSN PLRAA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

42 ENGINEERING
420300* -- Engineering-- Lasers-- (-1989)
DIFFERENTIAL EQUATIONS
ELECTRICAL EQUIPMENT
ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION
ELECTRONIC CIRCUITS
EQUATIONS
EQUIPMENT
FOKKER-PLANCK EQUATION
LASERS
LIMITING VALUES
LOGIC CIRCUITS
NOISE
OPTICAL EQUIPMENT
PARTIAL DIFFERENTIAL EQUATIONS
RADIATIONS
STABILITY
SWITCHES