All-optical picosecond switch using organic single-mode fiber waveguide

A highly efficient optical Kerr shutter switch is demonstrated, using a 1 m long and 4 μm core diameter waveguide consisting of a capillary glass fiber. An organic solution of 4-(N, N-diethylamino)-β-nitrostyrene is used as a large nonlinear optical material and contained in the capillary glass fiber. A deuterated solvent is used to achieve a high transmittance, and a solution concentration is adjusted to attain a single-mode waveguide. The very low driving power of less than 1 W is obtained with this organic solution fiber switch. A group-delay analysis shows that a picosecond response time is feasible.