Challenges
Datasets
Workspaces
Papers
Discussions
Leaderboard
Log inSign up
Challenges
Datasets
Workspaces
Papers
Discussions
Leaderboard
Blog
Job Board
Q3AS

© 2026 Aqora Quantum S.A.S.

TermsPrivacyLegal Notice

Quantum Electronics

Cavityless optical bistability in quasi-one-dimensional Peierls semiconductors

A L Semenov, M. Sh. Sharapov

Published Oct 31, 2001• 0 citations
Publisher

Abstract

The theoretical possibility of obtaining cavityless optical bistability in quasi-one-dimensional Peierls semiconductors is demonstrated. The nonlinear interaction of the system with an electromagnetic field is caused by the red shift of the lower edge of an optical transition in the semiconductor with increasing concentration of nonequilibrium electron — hole pairs.

DOI
10.1070/qe2001v031n10abeh002076

Related papers

Optical absorption bistability in quasi-one-dimensional peierls semiconductors

A. L. Semenov, M. Sh. Sharapov

The optical absorption coefficient γ of a thin film of a Peierls semiconductor has been calculated in the dipole approximation for direct interband transitions as a function of intensity I and central frequency ω 0 of a quasi-monochromatic frequency spectrum near the lower optical transition edge. It is shown that the γ( I , ω 0 ) dependence is strongly nonlinear, and within a certain region of I and ω 0 variation, not single-valued, which indicates the onset of resonator-free optical bistability with increasing absorption.

Optics and Spectroscopy•Jun 1, 2002•2 citations

Optical bistability in self-electro-optic effect devices with asymmetric quantum wells

David A. B. Miller

It is shown theoretically that optical bistability is possible in a self-electro-optic effect device (SEED) with single asymmetric quantum wells because of the blue shift of the optical absorption edge with applied field possible in such structures (in contrast to the normal red shift in symmetric wells). The concept is a simplification of the scheme of J. Khurgin [Appl. Phys. Lett. 53, 779 (1988)] (which uses unequal, opposed pairs of asymmetric wells) and shares the potential advantages of lower loss in the transmitting state and less stringent requirements on the exciton absorption peaks.

Applied Physics Letters•Jan 16, 1989•96 citations

Spontaneous switching in cavityless optically bistable systems

Tatiana M. Lysak, Vyacheslav A. Trofimov

Relaxation cavityless optical bistability is studied when a semiconductor is exposed to light quanta with an energy exceeding the transition energy and the free-electron relaxation time depends on temperature. The numerical analysis of dynamic equations for temperature and free-electron density demonstrates that 11 regimes of light-semiconductor interaction are possible. The regimes are classified in terms of the features of temperature-intensity characteristic curves, namely, by the number and arrangement of instability and quasistability segments and by the presence or absence of bistability. It is found that both the upper and the lower branch of a bistable characteristic curve may be unstable, which results in spontaneous switchings between the respective states. Similarly, if the upper state is unstable and the lower state is stable, a small perturbation of the parameters (free-electron temperature and density) near the former causes the transition to the oscillatory regime. If the upper state is unstable and a small perturbation of the lower (stable) state excites a damped oscillation, spontaneous switchings result if the fluctuating temperature exceeds some critical value for the lower state.

Technical Physics•Feb 1, 2000•1 citation

Theory of the Nonlinear Optical Properties of Semiconductors

H. Haug

The optical spectra of laser-excited semiconductors change with varying laser intensity. Close to exciton or biexciton resonances these optical nonlinearities are, e.g., large enough to obtain optical bistability. The cause for these large nonlinearities are many-body effects in the system of the electron-hole pair excitation. The use of nonequilibrium Green’s functions, or if a quasi-equilibrium exists of thermal Green’s functions, makes it possible to take radiative and Coulomb interactions consistently into account.

International Conference on Luminescence - 1984•Jan 1, 1984•0 citations

Cavityless optical bistability in a thin semiconductor film upon the resonant excitation of excitons and biexcitons

P. I. Khadzhi, S L Gaivan

The bistable properties of a thin semiconductor film under conditions of resonant excitation of coherent excitons and biexcitons by photons in one or two different pulses are studied theoretically.

Physics of the Solid State•May 1, 1998•1 citation

Saturation of interband transitions in semiconductors and the effect of optical bistability

J. Goll, Hermann Haken

Starting from a Hamiltonian which describes the interaction of the many-electron system of a crystal with the quantized light field, we derive nonlinear coupled equations of motion for the light-field amplitude, the electron-hole-pair amplitude, and the inversion. These equations yield the basis for the investigation of space-dependent nonlinear interaction effects between light and electrons in direct band-to-band transitions. With the aid of these equations we investigate the saturation behavior of direct band-to-band transitions for an incident monochromatic electromagnetic plane wave. We determine the nonlinear absorption coefficient and nonlinear refractive index. We compute the nonlinear transmissivity taking into account the boundary conditions at the end faces of the crystal and discuss the effect of optical bistability.

Physical Review A•Aug 1, 1983•14 citations
The theoretical possibility of obtaining cavityless optical bistability in quasi-one-dimensional Peierls semiconductors is demonstrated. The nonlinear interaction of the system with an electromagnetic field is caused by the red shift of the lower edge of an optical transition in the semiconductor with increasing concentration of nonequilibrium electron — hole pairs.
The optical absorption coefficient γ of a thin film of a Peierls semiconductor has been calculated in the dipole approximation for direct interband transitions as a function of intensity I and central frequency ω 0 of a quasi-monochromatic frequency spectrum near the lower optical transition edge. It is shown that the γ( I , ω 0 ) dependence is strongly nonlinear, and within a certain region of I and ω 0 variation, not single-valued, which indicates the onset of resonator-free optical bistability with increasing absorption.
It is shown theoretically that optical bistability is possible in a self-electro-optic effect device (SEED) with single asymmetric quantum wells because of the blue shift of the optical absorption edge with applied field possible in such structures (in contrast to the normal red shift in symmetric wells). The concept is a simplification of the scheme of J. Khurgin [Appl. Phys. Lett. 53, 779 (1988)] (which uses unequal, opposed pairs of asymmetric wells) and shares the potential advantages of lower loss in the transmitting state and less stringent requirements on the exciton absorption peaks.
Relaxation cavityless optical bistability is studied when a semiconductor is exposed to light quanta with an energy exceeding the transition energy and the free-electron relaxation time depends on temperature. The numerical analysis of dynamic equations for temperature and free-electron density demonstrates that 11 regimes of light-semiconductor interaction are possible. The regimes are classified in terms of the features of temperature-intensity characteristic curves, namely, by the number and arrangement of instability and quasistability segments and by the presence or absence of bistability. It is found that both the upper and the lower branch of a bistable characteristic curve may be unstable, which results in spontaneous switchings between the respective states. Similarly, if the upper state is unstable and the lower state is stable, a small perturbation of the parameters (free-electron temperature and density) near the former causes the transition to the oscillatory regime. If the upper state is unstable and a small perturbation of the lower (stable) state excites a damped oscillation, spontaneous switchings result if the fluctuating temperature exceeds some critical value for the lower state.
The optical spectra of laser-excited semiconductors change with varying laser intensity. Close to exciton or biexciton resonances these optical nonlinearities are, e.g., large enough to obtain optical bistability. The cause for these large nonlinearities are many-body effects in the system of the electron-hole pair excitation. The use of nonequilibrium Green’s functions, or if a quasi-equilibrium exists of thermal Green’s functions, makes it possible to take radiative and Coulomb interactions consistently into account.
Starting from a Hamiltonian which describes the interaction of the many-electron system of a crystal with the quantized light field, we derive nonlinear coupled equations of motion for the light-field amplitude, the electron-hole-pair amplitude, and the inversion. These equations yield the basis for the investigation of space-dependent nonlinear interaction effects between light and electrons in direct band-to-band transitions. With the aid of these equations we investigate the saturation behavior of direct band-to-band transitions for an incident monochromatic electromagnetic plane wave. We determine the nonlinear absorption coefficient and nonlinear refractive index. We compute the nonlinear transmissivity taking into account the boundary conditions at the end faces of the crystal and discuss the effect of optical bistability.