aqora

Ultrafast all-optical switching by single photons

Thomas Volz, Andreas Reinhard, Martin Winger +4 more

arXiv:1111.2915Nature PhotonicsAug 10, 2012441 citations

Photon storage with subnanosecond readout rise time in coupled quantum wells

A. G. Winbow, L. V. Butov, Arthur C. Gossard

Photon storage with 250 ps rise time of the readout optical signal was implemented with indirect excitons in coupled quantum well (CQW) nanostructures. The storage and release of photons was controlled by the gate voltage pulse. The transient processes in the CQW were studied by measuring the kinetics of the exciton emission spectra after application of the gate voltage pulse. Strong oscillations of the exciton emission wavelength were observed in the transient regime when the gate voltage pulse was carried over an ordinary wire. Gating the CQW via an impedance-matched broadband transmission line has lead to an effective elimination of these transient oscillations and expedient switching of the exciton energy to a required value within a short time, much shorter than the exciton lifetime.Photon storage with 250 ps rise time of the readout optical signal was implemented with indirect excitons in coupled quantum well (CQW) nanostructures. The storage and release of photons was controlled by the gate voltage pulse. The transient processes in the CQW were studied by measuring the kinetics of the exciton emission spectra after application of the gate voltage pulse. Strong oscillations of the exciton emission wavelength were observed in the transient regime when the gate voltage pulse was carried over an ordinary wire. Gating the CQW via an impedance-matched broadband transmission line has lead to an effective elimination of these transient oscillations and expedient switching of the exciton energy to a required value within a short time, much shorter than the exciton lifetime.

arXiv:0807.4920Journal of Applied PhysicsSep 15, 200813 citations

Solid-state photon storage

Richard J. Fitzgerald

Physics TodayDec 15, 20080 citations

All-optical spin-dependent polarization switching in Bragg-spaced quantum well structures

W. J. Johnston, Murat Yıldırım, John P. Prineas +3 more

All-optical polarization switching is demonstrated in a resonant photonic band-gap structure consisting of Bragg-spaced quantum wells (BSQWs). The switch takes advantage of the large spin-dependent optical nonlinearities and the ultrafast recovery present in BSQWs to produce large throughputs (greater than 40%), high contrast ratios (greater than 40 dB), and large optical bandwidths (∼0.6THz), where both switching time and sample recovery time are control-pulse-width limited.

Applied Physics LettersSep 1, 200535 citations

Solid-state photon storage

Richard J. Fitzgerald

Physics TodayFeb 1, 20090 citations

Ultrafast spin relaxation in quantum-confined structures for all-optical switching

Osamu Wada, Atsushi Tackeuchi, Yuji Nishikawa +1 more

Electron-spin relaxation has been investigated in a variety of quantum confined structures including GaAs-based quantum wells and quantum wires as well as InP-based quantum wells, and it has been shown to exhibit ultrafast relaxation in the picosecond, and even in the femtosecond, range. This ultrafast relaxation has been used together with the exciton absorption nonlinearity as an novel principle of all-optical switching device which can avoid the speed limit due to the slow carrier lifetime in conventional switching devices. Experiments on GaAs-based quantum-well spin switches have shown 4-ps gate switch operation. Also, experimental analyses have shown the feasibility of these devices at a high contrast ratio (13 dB) and high repetition rate (40 GHz). The application of this device to a demultiplexer has been proposed.Electron-spin relaxation has been investigated in a variety of quantum confined structures including GaAs-based quantum wells and quantum wires as well as InP-based quantum wells, and it has been shown to exhibit ultrafast relaxation in the picosecond, and even in the femtosecond, range. This ultrafast relaxation has been used together with the exciton absorption nonlinearity as an novel principle of all-optical switching device which can avoid the speed limit due to the slow carrier lifetime in conventional switching devices. Experiments on GaAs-based quantum-well spin switches have shown 4-ps gate switch operation. Also, experimental analyses have shown the feasibility of these devices at a high contrast ratio (13 dB) and high repetition rate (40 GHz). The application of this device to a demultiplexer has been proposed.

Proceedings of SPIE, the International Society for Optical Engineering/Proceedings of SPIEJul 7, 19982 citations

Photon storage with ultrafast switching in coupled quantum wells

Related papers

Photon storage with ultrafast switching in coupled quantum wells

Related papers