We describe an all-optical programmable switch that can perform logic gate functions. This switch consists of a planar geometry germanium-doped silica waveguide, a Q-switched and mode-locked Nd:YAG laser, and the means of coupling laser light into different waveguiding modes of the thin film at the fundamental and second-harmonic frequencies. By the application of the appropriate optical programming sequence, the film-generated second-harmonic light can be made to perform the functionalities of various gates. In particular, a single waveguide was optically programmed to perform the or function and was then made to perform the and function with little change to the experimental arrangement.
© 1996 Optical Society of America
Original Manuscript: January 16, 1996
Revised Manuscript: August 23, 1996
Published: November 10, 1996
P. M. Ranon, I. Dajani, D. C. Kopf, T. G. Alley, W. R. White, and J. J. Kester, "Planar geometry thin-film all-optical programmable switch," Appl. Opt. 35, 6390-6396 (1996)