Optical bistability in semiconductors

Author

Miller, David A B ; Smith, Samuel ; Seaton, Colin T.

Author_Institution

AT&T Bell Labs., Holmdel, NJ, USA

Volume

17

Issue

3

fYear

1981

fDate

3/1/1981 12:00:00 AM

Firstpage

312

Lastpage

317

Abstract

Detailed results are presented on optical bistability (OB) and two-beam optical transistor (transphasor) action in simple, one-element Fabry-Perot devices, with the semiconductor InSb using a CW CO laser near the bandgap region, and OB for semiconductors in general is discussed. OB and multistability are seen in transmission and reflection at 5 K. At 77 K, $n_{2} \\simeq 3 \\times 10^{-3}$ cm²/W [corresponding to an effective $\\chi ^{(3)} \\sim 1$ ESU] is measured and OB is observed at ∼8 mW. Transphasor action at 5 K is presented and the influence of degenerate four-wave mixing is discussed. The basic physics of the microscopic mechanism for n2(bandgap-resonant saturation) is summarized and a simplified, generalized model is derived. This model and arguments on cavity optimization are used to predict order of magnitude limits to switching power, energy, and speed, both in InSb and other semiconductors, even in the absence of excitonic enhancement.

Keywords

Bistability, optical; Fabry - Perot resonators; Indium materials/devices; Optical bistability; Transistors; Fabry-Perot; Four-wave mixing; Nonlinear optics; Optical bistability; Optical devices; Optical mixing; Optical reflection; Optical saturation; Photonic band gap; Semiconductor lasers;

fLanguage

English

Journal_Title

Quantum Electronics, IEEE Journal of

Publisher

ieee

ISSN

0018-9197

Type

jour

DOI

10.1109/JQE.1981.1071116

Filename

1071116