Vacuum-Deposited Thin-Film Interferometers as Bistable Devices Operating Continuously at Room Temperature

Abstract

Bistable operation of a nonlinear thin-film semiconductor interferometer, fabricated by vacuum deposition, was first observed in [1]. Refractive index nonlinearity required was achieved in a ZnS-spacer of submicron thickness with the input light beam intensity of about 6 kW/cm2.