Potential photonic switching technologies derived from space processed organic thin films

Abstract

All‐optical switching has progressed dramatically during the last five years, heralding such applications as high bandwidth communications and optical digital logic. Despite the potential device applications several important limitations need to be overcome such as the need for high χ(3) materials with fast response and minimum nonlinear absorption, development of compact laser sources, and reduction of the switching energy. Organic materials offer larger nonlinearity, are more easily tailored at a molecular level, are more robust, and have higher optical damage threshold than their inorganic counterparts. This laboratory has embarked on a systematic study to synthesize nonlinear optical organic materials and to fabricate integrated optical devices. Improved optical quality and molecular alignment have been observed in polydiacetylene and phthalocyanine thin films processed in microgravity or reduced convection situations. Novel waveguide fabrication techniques and the incorporation of these waveguides into all‐optical switching schemes are also discussed. Finally, we present an overview of switching schemes with their associated technologies.