Low Power Optical Nonlinearities Produced by Spatially Separated Electron/Hole Plasmas,
Abstract
Quantum well structures have received a great deal of interest as nonlinear elements in a variety of optical systems. In the absence of non-radiative recombination the dominant factor which controls the density of the electron/hole plasma (which mediates the nonlinearity) is the radiative lifetime. Thus if we wish to reduce the required optical power density in such systems we must maximise the radiative lifetime. In type I quantum wells the radiative lifetime (T= 1OK) is of the order of 500 ps(l) which leads to critical power densities of approx. kW/cM2. This lifetime is governed by the strong spatial overlap of the electron and hole wavefunctions. In type II quantum wells, by definition, the electron hole wavefunction overlap is greatly reduced leading to increased radiative lifetimes and hence low power optical nonlinearities.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- May 22, 1992
- Accession Number
- ADP007869
Entities
People
- C. T. Foxon
- I. Galbraith
- Paul R. Dawson