Nonlinear Intersubband Optical Absorption Coefficient and Refractive Index Changes in Asymmetric Parabolic Double Quantum Wells

Abstract

The change in optical absorption coefficients and refractive index in GaAs-AlGaAs asymmetric parabolic double quantum wells (DQWs) with applied electric field are studied in detail. Analytical expressions for the linear, nonlinear and total intersubband absorption coefficient and refractive index changes are obtained by using compact density matrix approach. It is found that the magnitude of the nonlinear part of the change in refractive index and absorption coefficients are larger than the linear part in the given frequency region. The value of the total change in refractive index is negative and the asymmetric DQWs becomes left handed media. This property is of great importance for metamaterials science and can contribute substantially to the present search for simple and inexpensive left handed media. Moreover the negative value of the total change in absorption coefficient may be used for developing optical device such as maser at different frequency regime.