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IEEE Journal of Quantum Electronics

Optical bistability in semiconductor periodic structures

Jian‐Jun He, Michael Čada

Published May 1, 1991• 95 citations
Publisher

Abstract

A theoretical demonstration of optical bistability in periodic layered media, particularly in long-period GaAs/AlAs superlattices is presented. The proposed structure consists of a periodic multilayer system, as opposed to previously demonstrated nonlinear bistable devices which employed Fabry-Perot etalons. The optical resonance effect which is essential for bistable devices is, in this case, induced by a refractive index modulation. The nonlinear active medium is distributed in the whole structure rather than placed between the two mirrors of a Fabry-Perot cavity. It is shown by a complete calculation of wave propagation in the periodic nonlinear medium that a multiple valued feature appears in the structure's nonlinear reflectivity spectrum. The input/output characteristics of the structure exhibit bistable hysteresis similar to that of a nonlinear Fabry-Perot etalon.>

DOI
10.1109/3.83375

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A theoretical demonstration of optical bistability in periodic layered media, particularly in long-period GaAs/AlAs superlattices is presented. The proposed structure consists of a periodic multilayer system, as opposed to previously demonstrated nonlinear bistable devices which employed Fabry-Perot etalons. The optical resonance effect which is essential for bistable devices is, in this case, induced by a refractive index modulation. The nonlinear active medium is distributed in the whole structure rather than placed between the two mirrors of a Fabry-Perot cavity. It is shown by a complete calculation of wave propagation in the periodic nonlinear medium that a multiple valued feature appears in the structure's nonlinear reflectivity spectrum. The input/output characteristics of the structure exhibit bistable hysteresis similar to that of a nonlinear Fabry-Perot etalon.>
The system we analyze has the structure of a planar optical waveguide containing a multiple quantum well, with the planes of the wells parallel to the direction of propagation. We consider the two different configurations of a Fabry-P\'erot cavity and distributed-feedback device. The optical nonlinearities are described by means of the first-principles theory developed by Haug, Koch, Schmitt-Rink, and co-workers, generalized to include the finite width of the wells. The dynamics of the system is described by the equations that govern the evolution of the two counterpropagating fields, coupled with the carrier-density equation, and accompanied by the appropriate boundary conditions. The steady-state behavior is analyzed as a function of the control parameters of the system for the case of a GaAs/${\mathrm{Al}}_{1\mathrm{\ensuremath{-}}\mathit{x}}$Gax{\mathrm{Ga}}_{\mathit{x}}Gax​As/AlAs structure. The system develops bistability even when the input field is in resonance with the excitonic peak, but the phenomenon becomes more pronounced in the detuned configuration. The hysteresis cycles obtained in the case of distributed-feedback device turn out to be competitive with those displayed by the Fabry-P\'erot system.
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.
A bistable etalon, consisting of an optically nonlinear semiconductor spacer layer sandwiched between two Bragg mirrors, has been optimized for use in reflection, using a numerical model for a self-consistent carrier density based on published experimental data for the nonlinear absorption alpha(I,lambda) and refraction DELTA-n(I,lambda). The saturation behavior of the refractive index and the absorption in bulk GaAs has been investigated at different wavelengths. High saturation values of DELTA-n(s) almost-equal-to .080 were found 20 meV below the gap. 30 meV above the gap we observed a comparable index change, together with an absorption saturation feature, leading to a highly nonlinear response close to the bistability threshold in our unoptimized etalon.
When the output parameter of an optical device could be a multivalued function of the input parameter, this device can be working in an optical bistable status. The most typical optical bistable device is a Fabry–Perot cavity containing a nonlinear optical medium, the refractive index of which depends on the light intensity. Upon the action of an intense input optical beam, the transmitted (or reflected) intensity of this device may exhibit a nonlinear response to the incident light intensity variation and, especially under appropriate working conditions, the characteristic output/input curve may manifest a single (or multiple) hysteresis loop(s). Such type of optical bistable device can be used as an optical differential amplifier, optical switch, optical limiter, optical clipper, optical discriminator, or an optical memory element, depending on the chosen nonlinear medium and operation conditions.
This article describes the application of one type of optical bistable device based on gallium arsenide as the nonlinear medium. The authors discuss several possible operations with GaAs nonlinear Fabry-Perot etalons. This article utilizes a recently developed computer model to illustrate the basic operating principles and applications. The authors mainly concentrate on the device operation itself. In keeping with common practice they use the term optical bistable device when referring to a device that can exhibit optical bistability even when not being used in such a manner. Instead of the expression nonlinear Fabry-Perot etalon, they often use nonlinear etalons or etalon devices.