All-optical switching using three-wave-interaction solitons

The property of three-wave-interaction solitons to preserve their shape upon nonlinear interaction with an arbitrary-shaped radiation is proposed for the creation of all-optical switching devices. It is shown that three-wave-interaction solitons can be used for optical switching in a polarization-gate geometry. This new all-optical logic gate combines the advantages of soliton switching devices with the short length of a second-order nonlinear interaction. Feasibility of an all-optical logic gate based on two 1.5-cm-long β-barium borate crystals and with the intensity of the control pulse 190 MW/cm2 is demonstrated.