Band structure engineering of optical nonlinearities in semiconductor superlattices

Ian Morrison; Milan Jaros

doi:10.1117/12.20647

1 August 1990 Band structure engineering of optical nonlinearities in semiconductor superlattices

Ian Morrison, Milan Jaros

Proceedings Volume 1280, High Speed Phenomena in Photonic Materials and Optical Bistability; (1990) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.20647
Event: The International Congress on Optical Science and Engineering, 1990, The Hague, Netherlands

Abstract

We show how suitable band structure engineering can result in an enhancement of the nonlinear optical response in a semiconductor superlattice. This enhancement occurs at excitation energies below the absorption edge and is a result of many photon virtual excitation of electrons into higher conduction subbands. The criterion which results in this band structure enhancement of nonlinear response is described and examples of such superlattices with band gaps spanning the near infra-red region of the spectrum are given. We present the results of the first full band structure calculation of the third order nonlinear susceptibility in a semiconductor microstructure. For example, for the CdTe-HgCdTe superlattice our calculations predict a third order susceptibility of 1O_6e.s.u. at frequencies 10meV below the band edge. The importance of performing such a full scale band structure calculation to provide an accurate assessment of the nonlinear susceptibility is demonstrated and the effects of varying the band structure investigated.

Citation Download Citation

Ian Morrison and Milan Jaros "Band structure engineering of optical nonlinearities in semiconductor superlattices", Proc. SPIE 1280, High Speed Phenomena in Photonic Materials and Optical Bistability, (1 August 1990); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.20647

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