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Journal of the Optical Society of America B

Effects of mirror reflectivity in excitonic optical bistability

Chi C. Sung, C. M. Bowden

Published Jun 1, 1984• 10 citations
Publisher

Abstract

The intensity-dependent nonlinearity of the dielectric function resulting from two-photon generation of excitonic molecules has been used to predict optical bistability in CuCl. The prediction is shown numerically to be highly affected by the mirror reflectivity in the Fabry–Perot cavity. In general, the reflectivity makes optical bistability possible at less stringent conditions.

DOI
10.1364/josab.1.000395

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The intensity-dependent nonlinearity of the dielectric function resulting from two-photon generation of excitonic molecules has been used to predict optical bistability in CuCl. The prediction is shown numerically to be highly affected by the mirror reflectivity in the Fabry–Perot cavity. In general, the reflectivity makes optical bistability possible at less stringent conditions.
It is well established that biexcitons can be generated directly by two-photon absorption in CuCI. The intensity dependent nonlinearity arising from this resonance can be used to obtain optical bistability. Recently, Koch and Haug(1) and also Hanamura(2) have predicted the possibility of a bistable operation in a CuCI Fabry-Perot etalon. Hanamura uses a density matrix formalism and predicts that the switching can respond in a picosecond time scale due to the virtual formation of biexcitons. Koch and Haug obtain the complex dielectric function from a Green's function formalism and suggest a bistable behavior for a thin CuCI slab. They use a constant value for the biexciton linewidth, γxx, and a zero value for the exciton linewidth, γx. Their results indicate that a 1-μm-thick CuCI etalon, with natural reflecting surfaces, can give rise to bistability with a switch-on intensity of about 0.1 MW/cm2. The biexciton resonance, however, is located on the tail of the exciton resonance, which acts as a background absorption.
Experimental evidence for the occurrence of optical bistability using the biexciton two-photon resonance in CuCl is presented. These observations agree with recent theoretical predictions that require an intensity of 10 MW/cm2{\mathrm{cm}}^{2}cm2 and 10-\ensuremath{\mu}m-thick etalons with 90% reflective coatings. Earlier much less demanding predictions neglected two important physical effects: unsaturable background absorption at the biexciton from the tail of the exciton resonance and broadening of the biexciton resonance with intensity.
We study the time variation of the nonlinear absorption due to the creation of biexcitons by a high-intensity nanosecond pulsed laser in CuCl. We show that this variation is different at the beginning and at the end of the laser pulse. This memory effect depends on the photon energy and on the intensity of the laser beam. An explanation based on the time dependence of the population is suggested. We also make a time analysis of a bistable device composed of a sample of CuCl placed in a Fabry-Pérot cavity. The switching times measured are of some hundredths of picoseconds. We stress the importance of the absorption present in the cavity and show that it may destroy the dispersive bistability. Finally, we give some trends of the spatial variation of hysteresis in the transverse section of the laser beam.
Optical bistability can be obtained in nonlinear materials either with Fabry-Perot mirrors or without external feedback. When a material is placed between partially reflecting mirrors, a nonlinear Fabry-Perot etalon is formed with the etalon providing an external feedback. Optical bistability and gating occur as a result of a shift in the Fabry-Perot peak when the light intensity is increased (or when a second laser beam is introduced into the cavity). Optical bistability with the external feedback mechanism has been observed in many semiconductors such as bulk GaAs, GaAs-AIGaAs multiple-quantum-well (MQW) structures, InSb, InAs, CdS, CdHgTe, GaSe, and CuCI.