Control of the second- and third-order nonlinearities in GaAs-AlGaAs multiple quantum wells

Aitchison, J.S., Hamilton, C.J., Street, M.W., Whitbread, N.D., Hutchings, D.C. , Marsh, J.H. , Kennedy, G.T. and Sibbett, W. (1998) Control of the second- and third-order nonlinearities in GaAs-AlGaAs multiple quantum wells. Pure and Applied Optics, 7(2), pp. 327-333. (doi: 10.1088/0963-9659/7/2/022)

Abstract

We report the use of impurity-free vacancy disordering techniques to control the nonlinear optical properties of GaAs–AlGaAs multiple quantum wells. These processes result in a shift in the position of the absorption edge to higher energy and have been used to modify the second- and third-order nonlinear coefficients. Working at photon energies just below the half bandgap we have observed a reduction of ∼ 50% in the value of nonlinear refractive coefficient n2 for a bandgap shift of around 40 nm. This change arises due to the combined effects of increasing the bandgap and increasing the detuning. The process can also result in a modulation in the magnitude of the second-order susceptibility χ(2) coefficient and provides a potential mechanism for realizing quasi-phase-matched structures.

• Item Type: Articles
• Status: Published
• Refereed: Yes
• Glasgow Author(s) Enlighten ID: Marsh, Professor John and Hutchings, Professor David
• Authors: Aitchison, J.S., Hamilton, C.J., Street, M.W., Whitbread, N.D., Hutchings, D.C., Marsh, J.H., Kennedy, G.T., and Sibbett, W.
• College/School: College of Science and Engineering > School of Engineering > Electronics and Nanoscale Engineering
• Journal Name: Pure and Applied Optics
• Publisher: IOP Publishing
• ISSN: 0963-9659
• ISSN (Online): 1361-6617