All-optical bistability in doped-polymer film waveguides

All-optical bistability was observed in thin-film waveguides made with acceptor-donor substituted azobenzene-doped poly(methyl methacrylate) polymer. Input-output curves with hysteresis characteristics were measured. The origin of the bistability was attributed to nonlinear coupling between a prism and a doped-polymer waveguide. An approximately theoretical analysis was introduced. Theoretical predictions were qualitatively consistent with experimental results.