Hybrid nonlinear cavities for ultrafast all optical switching

Combining organic films with high Kerr-nonlinearities and resonant photonic nanostructures could lead to new fast switching elements. To determine the nonlinear coefficients, we fabricate Fabry-Perot cavities by incorporating the organic material between two dielectric mirrors. Using a femtosecond pump and probe setup we spectrally resolve the nonlinear transmission of pulses that are spectrally broader than the cavities. The resulting signals are then compared to finite-difference time-domain simulations to deduce the nonlinear coefficients. This analysis is performed for various organic materials. In the same setup the switching behaviour can eventually be demonstrated with appropriate materials. As a next step we are developing planar integrated hybrid photonic structures. While their design enables scalable in coupling and out coupling, the resulting performance will be comparable to Fabry-Perot micro-cavities. ©2006 Old City Publishing, Inc.