Ebook: Coherent Optical Interactions in Semiconductors

The NATO Advanced Research Workshop on Coherent Optical Processes in Semiconductors was held in Cambridge, England on August 11-14,1993. The idea of holding this Workshop grew from the recent upsurge in activity on coherent transient effects in semiconductors. The development of this field reflects advances in both light sources and the quality of semiconductor structures, such that tunable optical pulses are now routinely available whose duration is shorter than the dephasing time for excitonic states in quantum wells. It was therefore no surprise to the organisers that as the programme developed, there emerged a heavy emphasis on time-resolved four-wave mixing, particularly in quantum wells. Nevertheless, other issues concerned with coherent effects ensured that several papers on related problems contributed some variety. The topics discussed at the workshop centred on what is a rather new field of study, and benefited enormously by having participants representing many of the principal groups working in this area. Several themes emerged through the invited contributions at the Workshop. One important development has been the careful examination of the two-level model of excitonic effects; a model which has been remarkably successful despite the expected complexities arising from the semiconductor band structure. Indeed, modest extensions to the two level model have been able to offer a useful account for some of the complicated polarisation dependence of four-wave mixing signals from GaAs quantum wells. This work clearly is leading to an improved understanding of excitons in confined systems.

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Content:
Front Matter....Pages i-ix
Optical Dephasing of Excitons in III-V Semiconductors....Pages 1-31
Coherent Excitonic and Free Carrier Dynamics in Bulk GaAs and Heterostructures....Pages 33-62
Many-Body Theory of Coherent Optical Effects in Semiconductors....Pages 63-90
Spin-Related Effects in III-V Semiconductors....Pages 91-109
Quantum Beat Spectroscopy of Excitons in Semiconductors....Pages 111-136
Investigation of Free-Carrier Scattering in Semiconductors Using Coherent Spectroscopy....Pages 137-155
Nonlinear Coherent Optical Effects in Semiconductors....Pages 157-179
Non-Markovian Optical Systems....Pages 181-197
Ultrashort Coherent Excitations in Semiconductors....Pages 199-222
Vertical Transport Studied by Sub-Picosecond Four-Wave Mixing Experiments....Pages 223-243
Amplitude Decay and Instantaneous Frequency Dynamics of Excitonic Polarization in Semiconductor Quantum Wells....Pages 245-260
Dephasing Time Measurements in Quantum Dots by Non-Degenerate Four Wave Mixing....Pages 261-265
Coherence Effects on the Exciton Radiative Recombination in Quantum Wells....Pages 267-272
The Relationship Between Real and Virtual Excitation Mechanisms for Nonlinear Refraction....Pages 273-276
Resonant Rayleigh Scattering in Epitaxially Grown ZnSe1?xSx Layers....Pages 277-281
Spectrally-Resolved Femtosecond-Four-Wave Mixing on Semiconductors....Pages 283-287
Quantum Beats and Polarization Interference from Quantum Well Excitons....Pages 289-293
Nature of Coherent Four-Wave Mixing Beats in Semiconductors....Pages 295-299
Analogies Between Coherent Optical Interactions and Quantum Transport in Semiconductor Devices....Pages 301-305
Optical Generation and Detection of Carriers in Ultrafast Pump-Probe Spectroscopy of Semiconductors....Pages 307-311
Study of Exciton Dephasing in Superlattices using Resonant Raman Spectroscopy....Pages 313-323
Bloch Oscillations in Superlattices....Pages 325-329
Violation of Time-Reversibility in Semiconductors by Transient Optical Excitation....Pages 331-336
Ultrafast Optical Generation of Carriers in a DC Electric Field....Pages 337-341
Many-Body Effects at the Fermi Edge of Modulation Doped Semiconductors: a Numerical Study....Pages 343-347
Theory of Polarization-Dependent Four-Wave Mixing in Quantum Wells using the Optical Bloch Equations....Pages 349-353
Polarization Studies of Four-Wave Mixing in GaAs Quantum Wells....Pages 355-361
Back Matter....Pages 363-372

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Content:
Front Matter....Pages i-ix
Optical Dephasing of Excitons in III-V Semiconductors....Pages 1-31
Coherent Excitonic and Free Carrier Dynamics in Bulk GaAs and Heterostructures....Pages 33-62
Many-Body Theory of Coherent Optical Effects in Semiconductors....Pages 63-90
Spin-Related Effects in III-V Semiconductors....Pages 91-109
Quantum Beat Spectroscopy of Excitons in Semiconductors....Pages 111-136
Investigation of Free-Carrier Scattering in Semiconductors Using Coherent Spectroscopy....Pages 137-155
Nonlinear Coherent Optical Effects in Semiconductors....Pages 157-179
Non-Markovian Optical Systems....Pages 181-197
Ultrashort Coherent Excitations in Semiconductors....Pages 199-222
Vertical Transport Studied by Sub-Picosecond Four-Wave Mixing Experiments....Pages 223-243
Amplitude Decay and Instantaneous Frequency Dynamics of Excitonic Polarization in Semiconductor Quantum Wells....Pages 245-260
Dephasing Time Measurements in Quantum Dots by Non-Degenerate Four Wave Mixing....Pages 261-265
Coherence Effects on the Exciton Radiative Recombination in Quantum Wells....Pages 267-272
The Relationship Between Real and Virtual Excitation Mechanisms for Nonlinear Refraction....Pages 273-276
Resonant Rayleigh Scattering in Epitaxially Grown ZnSe1?xSx Layers....Pages 277-281
Spectrally-Resolved Femtosecond-Four-Wave Mixing on Semiconductors....Pages 283-287
Quantum Beats and Polarization Interference from Quantum Well Excitons....Pages 289-293
Nature of Coherent Four-Wave Mixing Beats in Semiconductors....Pages 295-299
Analogies Between Coherent Optical Interactions and Quantum Transport in Semiconductor Devices....Pages 301-305
Optical Generation and Detection of Carriers in Ultrafast Pump-Probe Spectroscopy of Semiconductors....Pages 307-311
Study of Exciton Dephasing in Superlattices using Resonant Raman Spectroscopy....Pages 313-323
Bloch Oscillations in Superlattices....Pages 325-329
Violation of Time-Reversibility in Semiconductors by Transient Optical Excitation....Pages 331-336
Ultrafast Optical Generation of Carriers in a DC Electric Field....Pages 337-341
Many-Body Effects at the Fermi Edge of Modulation Doped Semiconductors: a Numerical Study....Pages 343-347
Theory of Polarization-Dependent Four-Wave Mixing in Quantum Wells using the Optical Bloch Equations....Pages 349-353
Polarization Studies of Four-Wave Mixing in GaAs Quantum Wells....Pages 355-361
Back Matter....Pages 363-372
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