Ultrafast all-optical switching in GaAlAs integrated interferometer in 1.55 μm spectral region

Abstract

The first observation is reported of ultrafast all-optical switching in an integrated asymmetric Mach-Zehnder inter-ferometer, using the nonresonant nonlinearity in Ga0.82Al0.18As below half the bandgap. A relative switching fraction of more than 80% has been achieved using 330 fs pulses at around 1.55 μm from a coupled-cavity mode-locked colour centre laser.