Dual-wavelength ultrafast complete optical switching in a polarization-maintaining fiber

Complete optical switching of 2-30 ps signal pulses in the 0.83-1.0 mu m wavelength range is demonstrated using 50 ps control pulses at 1.053 mu m in an optical-fiber Kerr modulator/switch. This is achieved using an initial temporal offset between the pulses and group velocity dispersion to enable the fast pulse to walk-through the slow one. It is shown that a minimum switching power results when the initial offset is one-half of the relative group delay. As an important corollary, complete switching can occur with a control pulse shorter than the signal pulse.<>