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physica status solidi (b)

Optical Bistability Induced by Charge Separation in Asymmetric Quantum Wells

Sandro Scandolo, F. Tassone

Published Sep 1, 1992• 8 citations
Publisher

Abstract

Abstract A novel mechanism for intrinsic optical bistability in quantum wells is proposed. In suitable structures the intrinsic electric field generated by optical excitation leads to the lowering of some interband transition energies. Therefore, increasing‐absorption bistability occurs for proper choice of operation conditions, without considering excitonic or many‐body effects. A numercal study of a InAs–GaSb quantum well is carried out and switch‐on intensities of the order of 102 kW/cm2 for a nanosecond response time are found.

DOI
10.1002/pssb.2221730145

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Quantum Electronics and Laser Science Conference•Jun 25, 2003•0 citations
Abstract A novel mechanism for intrinsic optical bistability in quantum wells is proposed. In suitable structures the intrinsic electric field generated by optical excitation leads to the lowering of some interband transition energies. Therefore, increasing‐absorption bistability occurs for proper choice of operation conditions, without considering excitonic or many‐body effects. A numercal study of a InAs–GaSb quantum well is carried out and switch‐on intensities of the order of 102 kW/cm2 for a nanosecond response time are found.
We present self-consistent calculations of the energy levels in an asymmetric coupled quantum-well structure coupled to a CO2 laser source which is nearly resonant with an intersubband transition. Solving Schrödinger’s and Poisson’s equations concurrently with a set of rate equations, it is shown that intrinsic optical bistability can be achieved. The bistability arises from charge transfer and a subsequent, self-consistent shift of the energy levels which feeds back to the absorption rate. Using realistic parameters, an on-off intensity ratio of 4:1 at switching powers of a few 100 kW/cm2 is predicted at about 10-μm wavelength.
An intrinsic optical bistability in a double quantum well is described theoretically. The effect is based on the resonant tunneling of electrons against the electric-field force (the counterfield electron transfer) and is driven and controlled by far-ir radiation exciting an intersubband transition. The theory relies on the density-matrix technique and takes into account optical intersubband excitation, interwell tunneling, the relaxation of populations and polarizations, and the mean-field effects of the transferred electron charge (shifts of the levels and changes of matrix elements). Hysteresis-type curves are obtained for both the charge-transfer probability and the optical absorption as functions of the light intensity. The theory shows the effect to be readily observable under realistic conditions, with the exciting-light intensity as low as 50 W/cm2{\mathrm{cm}}^{2}cm2.
Some interesting features of the intrinsic optical bistability, based on intersubband transitions in asymmetric semiconductor quantum wells, are analyzed within the two-level model. In particular, the excitation-induced levels shifting, on which the bistability relies, is found to be significantly influenced by the exchange-correlation potential, thus requiring self-consistent modeling-the simple charge separation dipole model is not accurate enough. The optical influence of the permanent dipole moment, characterizing bound states in asymmetric quantum wells, is also analyzed. This is found to have some beneficial and some adverse consequences on bistability, both of which may be quite important in realistic structures.>
Modulation-doped system of asymmetric coupled quantum wells is shown theoretically to possess a large optical nonlinearity due to the charge transfer associated with intersubband transition. The range of parameters leading to optical bistability has been determined. A novel triple quantum well system is suggested, allowing a few orders of magnitude reduction in switching power density, to ~50 W/cm2, while having a response time of <100 ps. Optically assisted transfer of up to 90% of all carriers between wells can become an operating principle of novel hybrid optoelectronic devices, incorporating the triple quantum well system into the channel of modulation-doped field-effect transistor with potential applications as fast optoelectronic switches and detectors in the 10-µm range.
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.
Summary form only given. Optical bistability is basically a nonlinear response of the medium (here confined electrons in a QW) to an external oscillating field, in which there are three possible responses (two stable and one unstable). Which one the system chooses depends on the history of the adiabatically varying control parameters (usually electric field amplitude). The OB we consider is an intrinsic feature of the electron gas in the QW, and does not rely on the use of a Fabry-Perot resonator. Another feature of OB is that it is not a ubiquitous nonlinear response such as superharmonic generation; it can be observed only at some restricted values of the parameters. Furthermore the nonlinear response changes abruptly from one value of the output to the other. This effect can be measured by detecting the different transmitted intensities of the FIR field to the same input field. These features of OB make it a relevant choice for applications to optical switching and the realization of optical logic gates.