Storing 2 bits of information in a novel single semiconductor microring laser memory cell

An optical memory cell that has four distinctive states, therefore storing 2 bits of information optically, is demonstrated by utilizing a novel single semiconductor microring laser with a retro-reflector cavity. To our best knowledge, it is the first time the combination of two directional and two wavelength states with a single semiconductor ring laser of only 20 x 62 mu m(2) in size has been demonstrated in which room-temperature continuous-wave operation is realized. These states can be easily written by corresponding optical inputs with low optical energy of similar to 1.56 fJ and rapid access time of similar to 70 ps suitable for 10 Gb/s or higher data rates.