Analysis on optical bistability parameters in photonic switching devices.

An investigation has been done on the parameters of a hysteretic bistable optical Schmitt trigger device. From a design point of view, it is important to know the regions where this bistability occurs and is fully functional with respect to its subsystem parameters. Otherwise experimentally reaching such behavior will be very time-consuming and frustrating, especially with multiple devices employed in a single photonic circuit. A photonic Schmitt trigger consisting of two feedbacked inverting amplifiers, each characterized by −m (slope), A (y-intercept), and B (constant base) parameters is considered. This system is investigated dynamically with a varying input to find its stable and unstable states both mathematically and with simulation. In addition to a complete mathematical analysis of the system, we also describe howm, A, and B can be properly chosen in order to satisfy certain system conditions that result in bistability. More restrictions are also imposed to these absolute conditions by the system conditions as will be discussed. Finally, all results are verified in a more realistic photonic simulation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]