Optical nonlinearities enhanced by using carrier transport

Elsa M. Garmire

doi:10.1117/12.20645

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1 August 1990 Optical nonlinearities enhanced by using carrier transport

Elsa M. Garmire

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Proceedings Volume 1280, High Speed Phenomena in Photonic Materials and Optical Bistability; (1990) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.20645
Event: The International Congress on Optical Science and Engineering, 1990, The Hague, Netherlands

Abstract

For many applications such as spatial light modulators, optical nonlinearities with high sensitivity are desirable. Carrier transport, coupled with the use of internal fields, resonant enhancement near the band-edge and selective carrier confinement by use of hetero-structures, offer ways to enhance the sensitivity of optical nonlinearities. This is particularly true in semiconductors, which show the largest known optical nonlinearities, defined in terms of the saturation value of the optically-induced index change per absorption length. In addition, semiconductors exist with a high level of fabrication technology, making complex device structures practical. Three examples of enhanced optical nonlinearities due to carrier transport which have been demonstrated in our laboratory will be discussed [ 1 , 2 J : 1) Lengthening of carrier lifetimes due to separation of optically-induced charges within internal fields. As an example, ultra-sensitive band-filling has been observed in hetero- Schottky barriers; 2) Using optically induced modulation of the Quantum Confined Stark Effect (QCSE) within a n-i-p-i structure to increase the index change per induced carrier density over that measured from band-filling; 3) Enhanced photo-refractive effect observed using electro-refraction and operating near the bandedge in semi-insulating semiconductors. These concepts have lead to some very promising experimental results.

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Elsa M. Garmire "Optical nonlinearities enhanced by using carrier transport", Proc. SPIE 1280, High Speed Phenomena in Photonic Materials and Optical Bistability, (1 August 1990); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.20645

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