We propose to use periodically spaced, curved optical waveguides for observation of optical Bloch oscillations. The refractive index distribution in this system is equivalent to the sum of a periodic term resulting from the equal spacing of the waveguides and a linear ramp, created by the curvature. We demonstrate numerically that light propagation in this geometry exhibits spatial Bloch oscillations with the period depending on the radius of the curvature and the wavelength.
High-speed optical communication requires ultrafast all-optical processing and switching capabilities. The Kerr nonlinearity, an ultrafast optical nonlinearity, is often used as the basic switching mechanism. A practical, small device that can be switched with ~1-pJ energies requires a large Kerr effect with minimal losses (both linear and nonlinear). We have investigated theoretically and experimentally a number of Se-based chalcogenide glasses. We have found a number of compounds with a Kerr nonlinearity hundreds of times larger than silica, making them excellent candidates for ultrafast all-optical devices.
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