非对称量子阱中非线性光学吸收系数的计算

非对称量子阱中的非线性光学效应因其潜在的实用价值而引起人们的广泛关注,而量子阱内带间的光学吸收问题对研究远红外光学探测器件具有重要的理论指导意义.以Pschl-Teller势阱为例研究了影响非对称量子阱中的非线性光学吸收系数的因素.考虑到带间的电子弛豫,用量子力学中的密度矩阵算符理论导出了Pschl-Teller势阱中的线性与三阶非线性光学吸收系数的表达式.因该势阱中有两个可调参数,通过调节系统的参数,发现该系统的非线性光学吸收系数呈规律性的变化.以典型的GaAs/AlGaAs非对称量子阱为例作了数值计算,通过调节系统的参数,数值计算结果表明,入射光强以及系统的非对称性对量子阱的非线性光学吸收系数有较大的影响,从而为实验上研究非对称量子阱的非线性光学效应提供了必要的理论依据.

Calculation of Nonlinear Intersubband Optical Absorption in Asymmetric Quantum Wells

In the past few years advance in nanofabrication techniques have made it possible to make well-like compound semiconductor structures of low nanometer size.In these structures,the state of the electron in the direction perpendicular to the length of the well is quantized with sufficiently large separation in energy levels and the motion of the electron parallel to the length is that of a quasi-free electron.One of the most remarkable properties of these one-dimensional electron system is that the optical transitions between the size-quantized subbands are feasible.The result shows there is a large optical nonlinearities in asymmetric quantum wells.The problem of optical saturation of intersubband absorption has recently attracted considerable attention.The problem is very important to the development of superlattice devices such as fast infrared detectors and modulators because one needs to know the range of input optical intensities for which linear operation is possible.The analytical expression of the linear and the third-order nonlinear optical intersubband absorption coefficients are obtained in P schl-Teller wells using the density matrix formalism taking into account the intrasubband relaxation.Since there are two adjustable parameters κ and λ in P schl-Teller wells,the shapes of the wells will change with the change of the parameters κ and λ,accordingly the linear and the third-order nonlinear optical absorption coefficients will change with the parameters κ and λ.It is shown that the optical absorption coefficient depends on the parameter,and the optical intensity strongly.The absorption saturation will occur with I increase.Numerical results are presented for a typical AlGaAs/GaAs P schl-Teller well.