Fast all-optical flip-flop based on a single distributed feedback laser diode

Abstract

Since there is an increasing demand for fast networks and switches, the electronic data processing imposes a severe bottleneck and all-optical processing techniques will be required in the future. All-optical flip-flops are one of the key components because they can act as temporary memory elements. Several designs have already been demonstrated but they are often relatively slow or complex to fabricate. We demonstrate experimentally fast flip-flop operation in a single DFB laser diode which is one of the standard elements in today's telecommunication industry. Injecting continuous wave light in the laser diode, a bistability is obtained due to the spatial hole burning effect. We can switch between the two states by using pulses with energies below 200 fJ resulting in flip-flop operation with switching times below 75 ps and repetition rates of up to 2 GHz.

40-Gb/s All-Optical Packet Switching With a Distributed-Feedback Laser as All-Optical Flip-Flop

“…Recently, we demonstrated that a single DFB laser diode can act as a broadband AOFF under the injection of continuouswave light [6]. By using an array of DFB lasers where each laser has a different lasing wavelength matched to the WDM grid, one can switch a laser in the array ON and OFF simply by injecting an optical pulse.…”

“…Recently, we demonstrated that a single antireflection-coated distributed-feedback (DFB) laser with a -shift operates as a fast AOFF under the injection of continuous-wave light [5], [6]. DFB lasers are already widely used in today's telecommunication industry and the added functionality as optical memory element offers, therefore, an economically viable way to achieve all-optical packet switching.…”

Optimization of an Asymmetric DFB Laser Used as All-Optical Flip-Flop

“…Digital Object Identifier 10.1109/JQE.2014.2378376 The AOFF based on an anti-reflection-coated (AR-coated) λ/4-shifted distributed feedback (DFB) laser diode, which has been already experimentally demonstrated [14], [15], has the main advantage that it can operate over a broad wavelength range for the set and reset pulses and that it is based on mature device technology. It requires externally injected light, but there are no hard wavelength requirements for the external beam.…”

“…By injecting a short but strong pulse at the same side of the device as the CW beam, one can switch from a lasing state (with low gain and uniform carrier density) to a non-lasing one (with high gain and non-uniform carrier density). The uniform carrier distribution can then be restored by injecting a light pulse at the other side of the device [15]. The influence of the bias current and normalized coupling coefficient (κL) on the bistability has been investigated before [14].…”

All-optical Flip-flop Operation Based on Polarization Bistability of Conventional-type 1.55-㎛ Wavelength Single-mode VCSELs

“…Significant research has been done for AOFF operation based on various semiconductor optical devices such as Fabry-Perot Laser diodes (FP LDs), distributed feedback (DFB) LDs, semiconductor optical amplifier (SOA) and microdisk lasers [1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9][10][11]. An ultimate goal of such devices is demonstration of low power consumption, high-speed operation, and high-density integration for practical system applications.…”