Nonlinear optical rectification and electronic structure in asymmetric coupled quantum wires

Abstract

Asymmetric coupled quantum wires provide the possibility for realizing obvious nonlinear optical rectification due to breaking the inversion symmetry. Here, we investigated nonlinear optical rectification (NOR) and electronic states in asymmetric coupled quantum wires (ACQWs). We find that the NOR max value of the ACQWs exhibits double peak structure with the increase of the geometrical asymmetry (i.e. the left wire radius deviating from the right wire radius), thus offering a direction for achieving remarkable NORS. In the double peak structure, the max value is one to two orders of magnitude larger than the min value. Furthermore, we find that the tunneling effect with respect to the ground state is reduced with the increase of the geometrical asymmetry, while the tunneling effect with respect to the first-excited state is firstly reduced, subsequently enhanced and then reduced with the increase of the geometrical asymmetry. Such coupling pictures elucidate the double peak structure in the NOR max value of the ACQWs. Our work enriches our understanding for the NOR and quantum states of the ACQWs, thereby laying the groundwork for the design and optimization of nonlinear nano-optical devices based on asymmetric coupled quantum wires such as THz radiation sources and infrared photo-detectors.