RING RESONATOR COUPLED M-Z ALL-OPTICAL SWITCH BY USING A PUMPED NONLINEAR DIRECTIONAL COUPLER

Abstract

We propose a new ring resonator side-coupled M-Z interferometer all-optical switch throughthe pumped nonlinear directional coupler. By controlling pump power P to lead the coupler reflectivityr approaching to 1, the resonator finesse will be enhanced dramatically, and then the minimumswitching power in silica-based practice devices can be obtained. As a sample, we use a nonlinearcoupler made by two erbium-doped fibers, and launch a 514.5nm-pump light into one of the cores tomake the reflective- index difference between two cores. Based on the asymmetric-coupler theory, wesimulate the relationship between r and P , and show that the required pump power is only 0.8mWfor r →1 .