Ultrafast wide range all-optical switch using complex refractive-index changes in a composite film of silver and polymer containing photochromic dye

An all-optical ultrafast switch which operates at a wide wavelength range has been demonstrated based on photoinduced changes of real and/or imaginary parts of complex refractive index in a composite thin film of silver and polymer containing photochromic spiropyran dye. Very fast switching ON and OFF of a reading beam within 20 ns in a 400-800 nm range was achieved at the incident angle of guided-wave mode using a photochromic spiropyran-doped polystyrene thin film and a ns pulsed UV or visible laser as a writing beam. These responses were caused by the changes of complex refractive index due to photochromism. No applied power was required to hold the switched state. An image was also written to the probe beam by irradiation through a pattern. (C) 1998 American Institute of Physics.