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Optoelectronics

All-Optical Switching Based on EIT Effects of Semiconductor Multiple Quantum Wells Exciton Levels

鸣笛 杜

Published Jan 1, 2013• 0 citations
Publisher

Abstract

我们报道了一种全新的全光开关，该光开关是在半导体多量子阱中基于激子和双激子能级形成的EIT效应，利用量子相干相消效应来减小材料对探测光场的吸收，且探测光场吸收的强度可以通过控制光场来调节。若将控制光场设置为脉冲光场，则可以实现探测光场的开关调制，通过选取适当的控制光场的强度，可以得到约86%的开关效率。  We report a new all-optical switching. The all-optical switching is based on EIT effect of semiconductor multiple quantum wells exciton energy levels, the use of quantum coherence effects can reduce the absorption of the probe light field, and the intensity of the absorption for the probe light field can be adjusted by the control light field. If the control light field is pulse light field, the all-optical switching can be performed. We can select the appropriate intensity of control light field; the efficiency of switching can reach at almost 86%.

DOI
10.12677/oe.2013.33007

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我们报道了一种全新的全光开关，该光开关是在半导体多量子阱中基于激子和双激子能级形成的EIT效应，利用量子相干相消效应来减小材料对探测光场的吸收，且探测光场吸收的强度可以通过控制光场来调节。若将控制光场设置为脉冲光场，则可以实现探测光场的开关调制，通过选取适当的控制光场的强度，可以得到约86%的开关效率。  We report a new all-optical switching. The all-optical switching is based on EIT effect of semiconductor multiple quantum wells exciton energy levels, the use of quantum coherence effects can reduce the absorption of the probe light field, and the intensity of the absorption for the probe light field can be adjusted by the control light field. If the control light field is pulse light field, the all-optical switching can be performed. We can select the appropriate intensity of control light field; the efficiency of switching can reach at almost 86%.
Semiconductor quantum wells exhibit numerous nonlinear optical effects that are potentially useful in electro-optical or all-optical devices. In general, the underlying physical mechanisms are complex many-particle processes and can be viewed as interesting research subjects in their own right. One example of such a device is the all-optical polarization switch that has been demonstrated [1]. In that device, conventional (i.e. non-strained) GaAs quantum wells are used in conjunction with two polarizers to switch the throughput of a weak probe pulse with a strong pump pulse. The switching is due to an effective polarization rotation of the probe light by the pump light. The basic idea underlying this effective polarization rotation can be based on a simplified picture of two spin-degenerate heavy-hole exciton transitions. A linearly polarized probe pulse, which consists of right ("+") and left ("-") circularly polarized components, would not undergo polarization rotation, because it couples to both transitions in the same way. If, however, a circularly polarized pump beam modifies, for example, the transition frequency of the "+" transition, the absorption of the "+" component of the probe light differs from that of the "-" component. This leads to an effective polarization rotation.
We report a new all-optical switching in a two-dimensional photonic crystal microcavity made of semiconductor multiple quantum wells and realized based on the electromagnetically induced transparency effect with exciton and two-exciton energy levels. We use the quantum coherence effects to achieve small absorption of the probe field, and the absorption of the probe field can be adjusted by controlling the pump field and decay rate. We turn the control field into pulses of light field so that we can regulate the efficiency of the switch. Through selecting the appropriate control light field intensity, we can obtain a switching efficiency of 85% and a switching time is 10 ps. This result can be used for the development of new types of nanoelectronic devices for realizing the switching process.
This dissertation addresses both fundamental aspects of Coulomb correlations in semiconductor quantum wells and more practical aspects of theoretical analysis of semiconductor optoelectronic devices. After introducing the subject, we present and evaluate a state-of-the-art theory of the third order coherent optical response of a semiconductor quantum well based on the Dynamics Controlled Truncation (DCT) scheme. Already in the third order (the so-called chi (3)) regime, semiconductors exhibit a number of many-body Coulomb correlation effects. Their manifestation in various multi-pulse experimental configurations, customarily used in ultrafast semiconductor spectroscopy, has been an important component of this thesis. Coherent optical effects in a semiconductor 3-band system based on the heavy-hole, light-hole and conduction bands were investigated. The quantum beats in the time-integrated differential transmission signal were analyzed and compared with experimental data obtained at the University of Iowa. Fundamental differences from corresponding quantum beats in atomic 3-level systems were found. Also, the analysis of experimental data (obtained at the University of Arizona) of the coupled heavy-hole-light-hole optical Stark shift revealed evidence of intervalence band coherences, an analog of Raman coherences in atomic 3-levels systems. A scheme for realization of electromagnetically-induced transparency (EIT) based on the interference of excitonic and biexcitonic coherences was proposed. Corresponding experiments performed at the University of Oregon showed indeed a considerable coherent reduction of excitonic absorption. Furthermore, an extension of the chi(3) analysis revealed an energy renormalization of the biexciton, in good agreement with the corresponding experiment. A microscopic analysis of polarization dynamics in time-resolved four-wave mixing signals was performed, revealing interesting implications for the biexciton dephasing in addition to the significance of many-body correlations. In the case of four-wave mixing in semiconductor microcavities, our theoretical analysis in conjunction with experimental data obtained at the University of Tokyo gave us indications for a significant shortcoming of the second Born approximation (2nd BA) applied to two-exciton Coulomb correlations in a thin semiconductor quantum well, in agreement with the general knowledge of the qualitative failure of the 2nd BA in systems with short-range interaction in two dimensions. We also analyzed a novel all-optical switching technique based on the nonlinear polarization rotation. Apart from identifying the many-particle processes relevant for the switch operation in the chi(3) regime, we proposed ways to further optimize the switch.
Abstract This paper briefly reviews the nonlinear optical and electro-optical properties and applications of GaAs—AlGaAs multiple quantum wells, all of which are compatible with laser diodes or semiconductor electronics or both. They show large nonlinear absorption and refraction (associated with their strong room-temperature exciton resonances) applicable to all-optical devices. They also show large electroabsorptive effects, some of which are unique to the quantum wells at any temperature, which are so strong that optical modulators can be made with micrometre dimensions. A new class of optical bistability (due to increasing absorption) is also reviewed; combination of this with the electroabsorptive effects enables a new mirrorless optical switch called a Self Electro-optic Effect Device (SEED), which sets a new standard for optical switching energies, with energy densities reduced by a factor of six by comparison to even the best resonant cavity devices.