Potential of Nonlinear Optical Waveguides

Abstract

Owing to the high density photon confinement nature of optical waveguide, it is expected that the nonlinear-optical waveguide devices gain improved performance over the bulk coun-terparts. The potential and the problem of useful nonlinear devices are discussed with special focus on (1) nonlinear-optical materials, (2) all optical switching devices, and (3) nonlinear optical signal conversion systems. It is concluded that these devices will open a profound way of ultrafast optical signal processing, if a good combination of material, device and system technologies is established.