Analysis of bistable switching threshold in one-dimensional photonic crystals

Abstract

We study the optical bistable properties in one-dimensional photonic crystal with symmetric structure (AB) N (D) M (BA) N , where A is high refractive index medium, B is low refractive index medium, D is defect layer, N is the number of layer periods at the left and right of the defect layer. M determines the thickness of the defect layer with Kerr medium. First, we analyze mechanisms producing bistability by the structure consisted of a nonlinear layer sandwiched between Bragg reflectors. Then by using the transfer matrix method, we calculate numerically the threshold value of the bistability switching in one-dimensional photonic crystals with structure (AB) N (D) M (BA) N . The investigations show that the number of layer periods (N) and the thickness of the defect layer (M) influence the threshold value of the bistability switching. We confirm the parameter of the bistability switching to produce the lower threshold value.