Picosecond gain switching of an organic semiconductor optical amplifier

摘要

All-optical switching of an individual pulse within a sequence of amplified pulses is demonstrated in a conjugated polymer optical amplifier. The switching was achieved using a control pulse resonant with the excited state absorption. An extinction ratio of ～5.5 dB was observed, while the intensities of the remaining pulses in the sequence, spaced at 50 ps intervals, were unaffected. A pump-probe study was performed and showed full gain recovery within 2 ps.