All-Optical Flip-Flop Based on an SOA/DFB-Laser Diode Optical Feedback Scheme

We report on the dynamic all-optical flip-flop (AOFF) operation of an optical feedback scheme consisting of a semiconductor optical amplifier (SOA) and a distributed feedback laser diode (DFB-LD), bidirectionally coupled to each other. The operation of the AOFF relies on the interplay between the optical powers in both the DFB-LD and the SOA. Switching times as low as 150ps for switch pulse energies of around 6 pJ and a repetition rate of 500MHz have been measured. The contrast ratio was measured to be above 12 dB