Numerical Simulation of an All Optical Flip-Flop Based on a Nonlinear Distributed Bragg Reflector Laser Structure

A new design for an all optical flip flop is introduced. It is based on a nonlinear Distributed Bragg Reflector (DBR) semiconductor laser structure. The device does not require a holding beam. An optical gain medium confined between 2 Bragg reflectors forms the device. One of the Bragg reflectors is detuned from the other by making its average refractive index slightly higher, and it has a negative nonlinear coefficient that is due to direct absorption at Urbach tail. At low light intensity in the structure, the detuned Bragg reflector does not provide optical feedback to start a laser mode. An optical pulse injected to the structure reduces the detuning of the nonlinear Bragg reflector and a laser mode builds up. The device is reset by detuning the second Bragg reflector optically by an optical pulse that generates electron-hole pairs by direct absorption. A mathematical model of the device is introduced. The model is solved numerically in time domain using a general purpose graphics processing unit (GPGPU) to increase accuracy and to reduce the computation time. The switching dynamics of the device are in nanosecond time scale. The device could be used for all optical data packet switching/routing.