Giant parabolic nonlinearities at infrared in [formula omitted]-type three level multiple quantum wells

Abstract

Higher order nonlinear susceptibilities have been investigated in a three level asymmetric multiple quantum well nanostructure wherein a probe pulse and a control laser beam are interacting in Λ-type configuration in the regime of electromagnetically induced transparency. We have identified the existence of giant fifth order susceptibility as large as ∼10−24m4/V4 at a pump wavelength 5.128μm. By changing the value of the Rabi frequency or the pump detuning the peak value of the susceptibility can be obtained at different pump frequency. With the introduction of detuning of the control field, the antisymmetric property of the fifth order susceptibility disappears. The group velocity of the probe field is reported to be slowed down by three order of magnitude in comparison to that of the speed of light in vacuum. These results may have potential applications in optoelectronic devices.