Multi-Stability Analysis in Quantum-Inspired Nonlinear Optical Resonator Frameworks

Abstract

Nonlinear optical resonators can support multiple stable output states under the same excitation, making them important for optical memory, switching, and photonic information processing. Recent studies have reported bistability and multistability in microring resonators, Kerr cavities, coupled microresonators, and related nonlinear optical systems. However, many existing works still focus mainly on device-specific bistability and do not fully explain how multiple stable and unstable branches evolve when phase-sensitive coupling is introduced. This article presents a quantum-inspired nonlinear resonator framework that combines Kerr-type feedback with an additional phase-sensitive coupling term to analyze higher-order state transitions. The study examines multi-output stability response under different input field strengths and coupling conditions and further analyzes phase-space and output-intensity behavior across detuning regimes. The results show that the proposed model expands the multistable operating region, generates intermediate stable branches, and reorganizes attractor accessibility through detuning-dependent dynamics. These findings suggest that quantum-inspired nonlinear coupling provides an effective basis for analyzing multi-stability in optical resonator systems.