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Polaron effects on the electro-optic effects in electric-field-biased quantum wells

Kangxian Guo, Chuan‐Yu Chen

Physica B Condensed MatterAug 1, 19999 citations

Nonlinear optical absorption in graded quantum wells modulated by electric field and intense laser field

E. Oztürk

The European Physical Journal BMay 1, 201045 citations

Nonlinear Optics and Electro-Optics of Quantum Wells

D. S. Chemla

Springer proceedings in physicsJan 1, 19860 citations

Ultrafast light-electron modulation for free-electron quantum optics: fundamentals and applications

Zirui Zhao, Ruoyu Chen, Changying Li +7 more

Coherent optical modulation of free-electron wavepackets offers a route to ultrafast beam steering, energy exchange, temporal compression, and quantum-state shaping. Recent advances in photon-induced near-field electron microscopy (PINEM), ultrafast Kapitza-Dirac effect (KDE) and dielectric laser acceleration (DLA) have demonstrated strong light-electron coupling, but longitudinal energy modulation, transverse momentum transfer, and wavepacket-dependent diffraction are still commonly described with separate models. Here, we develop a unified Light-Electron Modulation (LEM) framework that treats optical near fields as programmable phase modulators for free-electron wavepackets. Within this framework, we identify longitudinal and transverse modulation channels, analogous to electro-optic phase modulation and acousto-optic diffraction of light, respectively, and show how their operation depends on wavepacket extent, recoil, phase matching, and optical-field geometry. This formulation organizes PINEM, Raman-Nath and Bragg diffraction, DLA-like acceleration, and anomalous PINEM as limiting regimes of a common modulation picture. The resulting framework provides design principles for free-electron modulators that can control energy spectra, temporal density, transverse wavefronts, and electron-photon quantum interfaces, establishing LEM as a device-level platform for programmable femtosecond-to-attosecond matter-wave control.Coherent optical modulation of free-electron wavepackets offers a route to ultrafast beam steering, energy exchange, temporal compression, and quantum-state shaping. Recent advances in photon-induced near-field electron microscopy (PINEM), ultrafast Kapitza-Dirac effect (KDE) and dielectric laser acceleration (DLA) have demonstrated strong light-electron coupling, but longitudinal energy modulation, transverse momentum transfer, and wavepacket-dependent diffraction are still commonly described with separate models. Here, we develop a unified Light-Electron Modulation (LEM) framework that treats optical near fields as programmable phase modulators for free-electron wavepackets. Within this framework, we identify longitudinal and transverse modulation channels, analogous to electro-optic phase modulation and acousto-optic diffraction of light, respectively, and show how their operation depends on wavepacket extent, recoil, phase matching, and optical-field geometry. This formulation organizes PINEM, Raman-Nath and Bragg diffraction, DLA-like acceleration, and anomalous PINEM as limiting regimes of a common modulation picture. The resulting framework provides design principles for free-electron modulators that can control energy spectra, temporal density, transverse wavefronts, and electron-photon quantum interfaces, establishing LEM as a device-level platform for programmable femtosecond-to-attosecond matter-wave control.

physics.opticsCross-listedarXiv:2610.36182Oct 28, 2026

Slow and fast light in photorefractive GaAs–AlGaAs multiple quantum wells in transverse geometry

Bo Fang, Ze Liu, Feng Gao +2 more

We show theoretically that, based on the dispersive phase coupling effect during the wave mixing process, both slow and fast light can be achieved in GaAs–AlGaAs photorefractive multiple quantum wells (PRMQWs) films applied with a transverse direct-current electric field. The general formula for the group velocity of the diffracted beams in the Raman–Nath regime during the wave mixing process in a nonlinear thin film is derived and is then applied to the case of the PRMQWs films in the transverse geometry. The simulation results in the transverse-geometry PRMQWs films show that the group velocity and bandwidth of slow light can be on the order of centimeter per second and 100 kHz, respectively. The extremely low group velocity and the relatively broad bandwidth are mainly originated from the strong quadratic electro-optic effect and the fast response rate of the PRMQWs films, respectively. Our results show that the delay-bandwidth product of slow light can be significantly improved in PRMQWs films as compared to the reported results in other photorefractive materials.We show theoretically that, based on the dispersive phase coupling effect during the wave mixing process, both slow and fast light can be achieved in GaAs–AlGaAs photorefractive multiple quantum wells (PRMQWs) films applied with a transverse direct-current electric field. The general formula for the group velocity of the diffracted beams in the Raman–Nath regime during the wave mixing process in a nonlinear thin film is derived and is then applied to the case of the PRMQWs films in the transverse geometry. The simulation results in the transverse-geometry PRMQWs films show that the group velocity and bandwidth of slow light can be on the order of centimeter per second and 100 kHz, respectively. The extremely low group velocity and the relatively broad bandwidth are mainly originated from the strong quadratic electro-optic effect and the fast response rate of the PRMQWs films, respectively. Our results show that the delay-bandwidth product of slow light can be significantly improved in PRMQWs films as compared to the reported results in other photorefractive materials.

Journal of Applied PhysicsSep 15, 20104 citations

Light-Controlled Optical Modulation by Quantum Well Structure

Susumu Noda, Tetsuya Uemura, T. Yamashita +1 more

Springer series in electrophysicsJan 1, 19900 citations

Electro-optic Modulation in Quantum Wells in Transverse and Longitudinal Strong Electric Fields

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