Abstract
All-optical switches are attractive for future optical communication and data processing. However, there remain many problems to be solved before such switches become practical. In this paper, we first review and discuss various nonlinear effects relevant to all-optical switch-ing. Then experimental results are presented with a Mach-Zehnder type all-optical switch based on the band-filling nonlinearity of GaAs. In particular, a method is investigated that effectively reduces the slow relaxation time of band-filling nonlinearity. We also discuss a novel all-optical switch whose switch“off”time, as well as“on”time, is independent of the slow relaxation time.
