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

Photonics Letters of Poland

Erasing of an optically induced grating in a semi-insulating multiple quantum well waveguide

Ewa Weinert-Rączka, Marek Wichtowski

Published Mar 31, 2012• 0 citations
Publisher

Abstract

An interaction between optical signal guided in a photorefractive multiple quantum well planar waveguide and two external waves is considered. The external waves create a refractive index grating in the waveguide core which can be applied for frequency selective switching of guided signals. The influence of free carriers generated by the signal wave on the stability of photorefractive grating is analyzed. Full Text: PDF References D.D. Nolte, "Semi-insulating semiconductor heterostructures: Optoelectronic properties and applications", [CrossRef] M. Wichtowski, A. Ziółkowski, E. Weinert-Rączka, "A general approach to the space–charge field solution in photorefractive materials in a TWM geometry", J. Opt. 12, 065201 (2010) [CrossRef] E. Weinert-Rączka, M. Wichtowski, A. Ziółkowski, G. Staroń, "Photorefractive Grating in Multiple Quantum Well Planar Waveguide", Acta Phys. Pol. A 103, 229 (2003) A. Ziółkowski, E. Weinert-Rączka, "Dark screening solitons in multiple quantum well planar waveguide", [CrossRef] A. Ziółkowski, "Temporal analysis of solitons in photorefractive semiconductors", J. Opt. 14, 035202 (2012) [CrossRef] M. Wichtowski, E. Weinert-Rączka, "Photorefractive Multiple Quantum Well Waveguide as a Bragg Reflector ", Acta Physica Polonica A 103, 239 (2003) Q. Wang, R. M. Brubaker, D. D. Nolte and M. R. Melloch, "Photorefractive quantum wells: transverse Franz—Keldysh geometry", J. Opt. Soc. Am. B 9, 1626 (1992) [CrossRef] D. D. Nolte, D. H. Olson, G. E. Doran, W. H. Knox, A. M. Glass, "Resonant photodiffractive effect in semi-insulating multiple quantum wells", A.M. Glass. J. Opt. Soc. Am. B 7, 2217 (1990) [CrossRef] D.D. Nolte, M. R. Melloch : In: Photorectractive effects and Materials, ed. by D. D. Nolte (Kluwer, Dordrecht 1995) L. F. Magaňa, F. Agulló-López and M. Carrascosa, "Role of physical parameters on the photorefractive performance of semiconductor multiple quantum wells", J. Opt. Soc. Am. B 11, 1651 (1994) [CrossRef] Q. Wang, R. M. Brubaker, D. D. Nolte, "Photorefractive phase shift induced by hot-electron transport: multiple-quantum-well structures", J. Opt. Soc. Am. B 9, 1773 (1994) [CrossRef] P. Vaveliuk, B. Ruiz, N. Bolognini, "Analysis of the steady-state photorefractive harmonic gratings", Phys. Rev. B, 59, 10985 (1999) [CrossRef] D. S. Chemla, D. A. B. Miller, P. W. Smith, A. C. Gossard, W. Wiegmann, "Room temperature excitonic nonlinear absorption and refraction in GaAs/AlGaAs multiple quantum well structures", IEEE J. Quantum. Electron. 20, 265 (1984) [CrossRef] D.D. Nolte, Q. Wang, "Robust infrared gratings in photorefractive quantum wells generated by an above-band-gap laser", Appl. Phys Lett. 58, 2067 (1991) [CrossRef]

DOI
10.4302/plp.2012.1.09

Related papers

Two-wave mixing in photorefractive AlGaAs/GaAs quantum wells

Q. N. Wang, David D. Nolte, M. R. Melloch

We have observed two-wave mixing in semi-insulating AlGaAs/GaAs multiple quantum well structures at wavelengths near the exciton absorption. The photorefractive index changes are caused by the Franz–Keldysh effect on quantum-confined excitons. Photorefractive gains larger than 200 cm−1 are obtained for the first time at wavelengths near 836 nm using stationary fringes and dc applied fields up to 5 kV/cm. The direction of energy transfer between the two beams is determined by the direction of applied electric field.

Applied Physics Letters•Jul 15, 1991•54 citations

Theory of the photorefractive effect for multiple-quantum-well structures in perpendicular field ref lection grating geometry

Vladimir V. Shkunov, Mark V. Zolotarev

The theory of photorefractive grating formation in a semi-insulating GaAs/AlGaAs multiple-quantum-well structure (MQWS) with an electric field applied across the layers and for counterpropagating writing beams is presented. The gain and the response time demonstrate a resonant behavior with respect to variations in both the applied field and the light’s wavelength. For a semi-insulating MQWS such an interaction geometry could provide the highest two-wave mixing gain, as much as 104 cm−1, which exceeds the linear absorption.

Journal of the Optical Society of America B•May 1, 1995•3 citations

Spatial-harmonic gratings at high modulation depths in photorefractive quantum wells

Q. N. Wang, M. R. Melloch, David D. Nolte

High-order spatial harmonics of photorefractive gratings are detected directly in multi wave mixing experiments in photorefractive AlGaAs/GaAs quantum wells operating in the Franz-Keldysh geometry. We have observed diffraction signals from the first-, second-, and third-harmonic refractive-index gratings. The quadratic electro-optic effect in the quantum wells second-spatial-harmonic grating.

Optics Letters•Dec 15, 1991•16 citations

High-Order Diffraction in Photorefractive Quantum Well Structures

Q. N. Wang, David D. Nolte, M. R. Melloch

Recently, the high speed of semiconductor materials was combined with the large optical nonlinearity of the Franz-Kelydish effect near the quantum confined exciton absorption within semi-insulating multiple quantum well structures (SIMQW)[1]. The diffraction efficiency of four wave mixing obtained in the SIMQW with an optical interaction length of 1.05 µm is comparable with the diffraction efficiency for a semiconductor bulk sample with an optical interaction length of several mm operating under similar conditions. Thus, SIMQW become a ideal candidate to study the diffraction process in the Raman-Nath regime[2]. Here, we report two effects of the second order diffraction in a SIMQW sample under applied field: 1) the direct observation of a strong second order diffraction signal; 2) the intensity of the degenerate four wave mixing signal depends on the direction of applied field when the fringe spacing becomes large.

Photorefractive Effects, Materials, and Devices•Jan 1, 1991•0 citations

Picosecond Transient Grating Measurements of Intra-well and Cross-well Transport in Multiple Quantum Wells

R. J. Manning, Alan Miller, David C. Herbert +2 more

The spatial confinement of carriers in semiconductor quantum well structures leads to resolvable excitonic features at room temperature. Saturation of these due to phase space filling gives rise to a very large non-linear refractive index [1,2]. We have used this non-linearity in GaAs/AlGaAs multiple quantum wells in two separate degenerate four wave mixing configurations. The two arrangements, forward travelling and counter-propagating (see fig.1), produce transient phase gratings across and parallel to the plane of the wells respectively. Time resolved measurements of the decay of these gratings allow comparison of intra-well and cross-well contributions to carrier diffusion, which is highly anisotropic, and reveal decay rates dependent upon the angle of the sample to the normal. In addition such experiments give carrier relaxation times and the intensity at which the excitonic non-linear refraction starts to saturate.

•Jul 1, 1988•0 citations

Two-wave-mixing dynamics and nonlinear hot-electron transport in transverse-geometry photorefractive quantum wells studied by moving gratings

Srinivasan Balasubramanian, I. Lahiri, Yi Ding +2 more

Applied Physics B•May 1, 1999•46 citations
An interaction between optical signal guided in a photorefractive multiple quantum well planar waveguide and two external waves is considered. The external waves create a refractive index grating in the waveguide core which can be applied for frequency selective switching of guided signals. The influence of free carriers generated by the signal wave on the stability of photorefractive grating is analyzed. Full Text: PDF References D.D. Nolte, "Semi-insulating semiconductor heterostructures: Optoelectronic properties and applications", [CrossRef] M. Wichtowski, A. Ziółkowski, E. Weinert-Rączka, "A general approach to the space–charge field solution in photorefractive materials in a TWM geometry", J. Opt. 12, 065201 (2010) [CrossRef] E. Weinert-Rączka, M. Wichtowski, A. Ziółkowski, G. Staroń, "Photorefractive Grating in Multiple Quantum Well Planar Waveguide", Acta Phys. Pol. A 103, 229 (2003) A. Ziółkowski, E. Weinert-Rączka, "Dark screening solitons in multiple quantum well planar waveguide", [CrossRef] A. Ziółkowski, "Temporal analysis of solitons in photorefractive semiconductors", J. Opt. 14, 035202 (2012) [CrossRef] M. Wichtowski, E. Weinert-Rączka, "Photorefractive Multiple Quantum Well Waveguide as a Bragg Reflector ", Acta Physica Polonica A 103, 239 (2003) Q. Wang, R. M. Brubaker, D. D. Nolte and M. R. Melloch, "Photorefractive quantum wells: transverse Franz—Keldysh geometry", J. Opt. Soc. Am. B 9, 1626 (1992) [CrossRef] D. D. Nolte, D. H. Olson, G. E. Doran, W. H. Knox, A. M. Glass, "Resonant photodiffractive effect in semi-insulating multiple quantum wells", A.M. Glass. J. Opt. Soc. Am. B 7, 2217 (1990) [CrossRef] D.D. Nolte, M. R. Melloch : In: Photorectractive effects and Materials, ed. by D. D. Nolte (Kluwer, Dordrecht 1995) L. F. Magaňa, F. Agulló-López and M. Carrascosa, "Role of physical parameters on the photorefractive performance of semiconductor multiple quantum wells", J. Opt. Soc. Am. B 11, 1651 (1994) [CrossRef] Q. Wang, R. M. Brubaker, D. D. Nolte, "Photorefractive phase shift induced by hot-electron transport: multiple-quantum-well structures", J. Opt. Soc. Am. B 9, 1773 (1994) [CrossRef] P. Vaveliuk, B. Ruiz, N. Bolognini, "Analysis of the steady-state photorefractive harmonic gratings", Phys. Rev. B, 59, 10985 (1999) [CrossRef] D. S. Chemla, D. A. B. Miller, P. W. Smith, A. C. Gossard, W. Wiegmann, "Room temperature excitonic nonlinear absorption and refraction in GaAs/AlGaAs multiple quantum well structures", IEEE J. Quantum. Electron. 20, 265 (1984) [CrossRef] D.D. Nolte, Q. Wang, "Robust infrared gratings in photorefractive quantum wells generated by an above-band-gap laser", Appl. Phys Lett. 58, 2067 (1991) [CrossRef]
We have observed two-wave mixing in semi-insulating AlGaAs/GaAs multiple quantum well structures at wavelengths near the exciton absorption. The photorefractive index changes are caused by the Franz–Keldysh effect on quantum-confined excitons. Photorefractive gains larger than 200 cm−1 are obtained for the first time at wavelengths near 836 nm using stationary fringes and dc applied fields up to 5 kV/cm. The direction of energy transfer between the two beams is determined by the direction of applied electric field.
The theory of photorefractive grating formation in a semi-insulating GaAs/AlGaAs multiple-quantum-well structure (MQWS) with an electric field applied across the layers and for counterpropagating writing beams is presented. The gain and the response time demonstrate a resonant behavior with respect to variations in both the applied field and the light’s wavelength. For a semi-insulating MQWS such an interaction geometry could provide the highest two-wave mixing gain, as much as 104 cm−1, which exceeds the linear absorption.
Recently, the high speed of semiconductor materials was combined with the large optical nonlinearity of the Franz-Kelydish effect near the quantum confined exciton absorption within semi-insulating multiple quantum well structures (SIMQW)[1]. The diffraction efficiency of four wave mixing obtained in the SIMQW with an optical interaction length of 1.05 µm is comparable with the diffraction efficiency for a semiconductor bulk sample with an optical interaction length of several mm operating under similar conditions. Thus, SIMQW become a ideal candidate to study the diffraction process in the Raman-Nath regime[2]. Here, we report two effects of the second order diffraction in a SIMQW sample under applied field: 1) the direct observation of a strong second order diffraction signal; 2) the intensity of the degenerate four wave mixing signal depends on the direction of applied field when the fringe spacing becomes large.
The spatial confinement of carriers in semiconductor quantum well structures leads to resolvable excitonic features at room temperature. Saturation of these due to phase space filling gives rise to a very large non-linear refractive index [1,2]. We have used this non-linearity in GaAs/AlGaAs multiple quantum wells in two separate degenerate four wave mixing configurations. The two arrangements, forward travelling and counter-propagating (see fig.1), produce transient phase gratings across and parallel to the plane of the wells respectively. Time resolved measurements of the decay of these gratings allow comparison of intra-well and cross-well contributions to carrier diffusion, which is highly anisotropic, and reveal decay rates dependent upon the angle of the sample to the normal. In addition such experiments give carrier relaxation times and the intensity at which the excitonic non-linear refraction starts to saturate.