Numerical analysis of waveguide-enhanced optical bistability

We present the results of a simulation study of a multilayer structure for which strongly enhanced (resonant) electric fields are produced at the surface of, and in the interior of, a planar waveguide which is evanescently coupled to an incoming beam in a prism geometry. The resulting field enhancements can far exceed those associated with the well-known surface plasmon resonance in a typical silver film excited in the conventional attenuated total reflection geometry. Simulations are performed for optical bistability for the case of a typical YAG laser beam coupled to a zinc oxide (ZnO) waveguide, demonstrating that the effect should occur for reasonable values of the parameters involved.