Optical bistability under gain saturation conditions in a resonator controlled by external noncoherent beams

Control of optical bistability was demonstrated for an active resonator cavity containing a saturable absorber in the form of an organic dye solution and also for a photochromic absorber based on genetically modified purple membranes of halobacteria. The interaction between the signal and laser beams was assumed to be noncoherent and noncollinear.