Dispersion management in spatially modulated broad band semiconductors

In broad band semiconductors, spatial modulations can be introduced by different mechanisms. In any case and due to the particular relation of electric field and population inversion of the material, both gain and index spatial modulations are induced. In the case of semiconductor materials, the amplitudes of these two modulations are connected by the so called alfa-factor of the material. We analyse light propagation in 2D broad band semiconductors with periodic modulations on the wavelength scale. The general problem of light propagation in materials with gain and index spatial modulations is analytically studied for spatial sinusoidal modulations in transverse and longitudinal directions. The effective diffraction and effective diffusion coefficients are obtained only considering few spatial modes. Numerical results considering paraxial light propagation through broad band semiconductors are discussed. The particular analysis corresponding to different configurations is compared with numerical simulations, pointing out several effects in beam propagation like dispersion management.