Abstract

This paper points out new effects that can occur In triode operation of an optical bistable device. Triode operation in the optical gating of a signal beam by a control beam has been demonstrated using a GaAs-GaAlAs trilayer sandwich.¹ However, the theoretical analysis for the triode operation has not yet been reported. We show theoretically that the properties of the medium and, hence, the transmission of the signal beam (ω_S) through a Fabry-Perot cavity are strongly modified by a control beam (ω_c) which changes the dielectric susceptibility of the intracavity medium. Amplification of the signal beam due to the three-photon effect² and multistability attributed to the saturation of the multiphoton transition processes^3,4 are predicted.

© 1981 Optical Society of America