All-optical signal processing using InP photonic-crystal nanocavity switches

Abstract

In this paper, we present recent progress in experimental characterization of InP photonic-crystal nanocavity switches. Pump-probe measurements on an InP PhC H0 cavity show large-contrast ultrafast switching at low pulse energy. At large pulse energies, a large resonance shift passing across the probe leads to pulse broadening. In addition, high-frequency carrier density oscillations can be induced, leading to pulse splitting. Excellent agreements between simulations and experiments are ob tained when employing a car rier rate equation model containing three relaxation times, accountin g for the joint effects of fast carrier diffusion, slow surface and bulk recombination. Utilizin g the simple InP PhC nanocavity structure, we successfully dem onstrate 10-Gb/s RZ- OOK all-optical modulation with low energy consumption.