Coherent control of intersubband optical bistability in quantum wells

TL;DR

This paper demonstrates how strong THz radiation can coherently control intersubband optical bistability in quantum wells, enabling picosecond switching between states by manipulating relaxation and decoherence times.

Contribution

It introduces a novel method to achieve coherent control of optical bistability in quantum wells using THz pulses, combining density-matrix and time-dependent density-functional theory.

Findings

Achieved picosecond switching between bistable states

Controlled by ISB relaxation and decoherence times T1 and T2

Demonstrated coherent control using THz pulses

Abstract

We present a study of the nonlinear intersubband (ISB) response of conduction electrons in a GaAs/AlGaAs quantum well to strong THz radiation, using a density-matrix approach combined with time-dependent density-functional theory. We demonstrate coherent control of ISB optical bistability, using THz control pulses to induce picosecond switching between the bistable states. The switching speed is determined by the ISB relaxation and decoherence times, T1 and T2.