Photoexcited-Carrier-Induced Refractive-Index Change in Small Band-Gap Semiconductors (Preprint)

Abstract

Using accurate band structures of InAs, InSb, and two Hg1-xCdxTe alloys, we calculate the change in refractive index caused by the photoexcited electrons and holes. Both free-carrier absorption (FCA) and one-photon absorption are considered. Contrary to current assumptions, we find that the change in refractive index varies nonlinearly with the density of photoexcited carriers and that the FCA may have a significant contribution to the refractive-index change in materials like InAs, where the energy difference between the heavy-hole and light-hole bands is small because of a weak spin-orbit coupling.

Open PDF

Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Jan 01, 2006
Accession Number
ADA475004

Entities

People

  • Shekhar Guha
  • Siddhartha Krishnamurthy
  • Zhi-Gang

Organizations

  • Air Force Research Laboratory

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Advanced Electronics
  • Sensors

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Absorption
  • Air Force
  • Air Force Facilities
  • Air Force Research Laboratories
  • Band Gaps
  • Band Structures
  • Energy Bands
  • Government Procurement
  • Governments
  • Information Exchange
  • Materials
  • Military Research
  • Refractive Index
  • Semiconductors
  • Spin-Orbit Interaction
  • United States

Fields of Study

  • Materials science

Readers

  • Quantum Dot Semiconductor Device Photonics and Graphene Optoelectronic Materials and THz Physics.
  • Spectroscopy.

Technology Areas

  • Microelectronics
  • Space