Proposal for an All-Optical Flip-Flop Using a Single Distributed Feedback Laser Diode

We introduce a new concept for an all-optical flip-flop based on a single distributed feedback laser. The injection of external light into the laser results in a nonuniform carrier distribution. We will show numerically that this nonlinear effect of the carriers gives rise to a bistability that can be exploited for fast flip-flop operation.