Modulation of optical bistability by an additional laser beam

Abstract

A theory of modulation of optical bistability of a main (signal) beam by an additional (control) beam is presented. It is supposed that the mirrors composing a Fabry-Perot cavity are highly reflective to the signal beam but transparent to the control beam. We show that the property of a medium in the cavity, and hence the transmission of the signal beam through the cavity, is modulated by the control beam which changes the dielectric susceptibility of the intracavity medium. Amplification of the signal beam occurs in the limit of a strong control beam. The process can be viewed as a parametric transfer of energy between the signal beam and the control beam with the nonlinear medium providing the nonlinear susceptibility that couples the beams. In addition, multibistability in the transmission characteristics of the signal beam is predicted and attributed to the saturation effect of the multiphoton processes.