Switching through symmetry breaking for transmission in a T-shaped photonic waveguide coupled with two identical...

Using coupled mode theory we consider transmission in a T-shaped waveguide coupled with two identical symmetrically positioned nonlinear micro-cavities with mirror symmetry. For input power injected into the central waveguide we show the existence of a symmetry breaking solution which is a result of mixing of the symmetrical input wave with an antisymmetric standing wave in the Fabry-Pérot interferometer. With growth of the input power, a feature in the form of loops arises in the solution which originates from bistability in the transmission in the output left/right waveguide coupled with the first/second nonlinear cavity. The domains of stability of the solution are found. The breaking of mirror symmetry gives rise to nonsymmetrical left and right outputs. We demonstrate that this phenomenon can be explored for all-optical switching of light transmission from the left output waveguide to the right one by application of input pulses.