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Applied Physics Letters

Optical bistability in bulk ZnSe due to increasing absorption and self-focusing

Mohammad Reza Taghizadeh, I. Jánossy, Stanley Desmond Smith

Published Feb 15, 1985• 53 citations
Publisher

Abstract

We report the first observation of cavityless optical bistability in ZnSe. A shift in the band edge and self-focusing occurs due to the temperature rise of the material as the laser irradiance is increased. These two mechanisms are believed to provide the feedback necessary for bistable operation.
DOI
10.1063/1.95621

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Absorptive switching and transverse structures in resonatorless optical bistability in bulk ZnSe is observed upon exciting the sample at the Urbach edge. The switching is due to nonlinear absorption induced by a temperature tuning of the band gap. We have modeled such behavior by numerically solving for the intensity, carrier density, and temperature, including both longitudinal and transverse fluctuations. Simulations show that both longitudinal and transverse heat diffusion are necessary in producing specific structures, as well as in determining the time of switching. During switching, the experiment and theory illustrate for the intensity profile the formation of a local minima on axis (hole) followed by a local maxima on axis and local minima off axis (rings). Such beam distortions and bistable switching are the result of the spatial and temporal dynamics and positive feedback existing among the absorption and heating.