Quantum optical and nonlinear optical properties of semiconductors and heterostructures in photonic crystals

Institut(e):	Fachbereich Physik und Wiss. Zentrum für Materialwissenschaften der Universität Marburg AG Halbleitertheorie Renthof 5 35032 Marburg Tel.: 06421-282-1337 Fax: 06421-282-7076
Projektleiter:	Prof. Dr. Stephan W. Koch	s.w.koch@physik.uni-marburg.de
	Priv. Doz. Dr. Torsten Meier Tel.: 06421-282-4221	torsten.meier@physik.uni-marburg.de
Sekretariat:	Renate Schmid Tel.: 06421-282-1337	renate.schmid@physik.uni-marburg.de
Mitarbeiter:	Matthias Reichelt Tel.: 06421-28-24217	Matthias.Reichelt@physik.uni-marburg.de
	Bernhard Pasenow Tel.: 06421-28-24217	Bernhard.Pasenow@physik.uni-marburg.de

Abstract: Combining semiconductor heterostructures with photonic crystals allows us to study novel aspects of the light-matter coupling in condensed matter systems. The fascinating interplay between the field modes of a structured dielectric environment and the elementary optical excitations of the semiconductor material can be utilized to design some of the optical properties of hybrid semiconductor photonic-crystal structures. The main goal of our project is to develop and apply a microscopic theory which is capable of adequately describing the coupled dynamics of the electromagnetic field and the material excitations in a self-consistent fashion. The analysis of the semiconductor photoexcitations includes excitonic effects and further consequences of many-body interactions. Close to a spatially-structured dielectric environment, the Coulomb potential is significantly modified. Subsequently, the optoelectronic properties of semiconductor heterostructures are altered in comparison to a spatially homogeneous configuration and the optical response has to be computed including the proper longitudinal and transverse fields. We apply our theory to study pulse propagation effects in photonic band gap structures, modified absorption and emission properties, as well as lasing in specially designed photonic crystal cavity configurations. Recent papers: Exciton Formation in Semiconductors and the Influence of a Photonic Environment, M. Kira, W. Hoyer, T. Stroucken, and S.W. Koch, Phys. Rev. Lett. 87, 176401 (2001). Excitons in Photonic Crystals, T. Stroucken, R. Eichmann, L. Banyai, and S.W. Koch, Journ. Opt. Soc. Am. B 19, 2292 (2002). Exciton Effects in Photonic Crystal Structures, S.W. Koch, T. Stroucken, R. Eichmann, M. Kira, and W. Hoyer, Optics & Photonic News 13, 48 (2002). Semiconductor absorption in photonic crystals, R. Eichmann, B. Pasenow, T. Meier, T. Stroucken, P. Thomas, and S.W. Koch, Applied Physics Letters 82, 355 (2003). Semiconductor excitons in photonic crystals, R. Eichmann, B. Pasenow, T. Meier, T. Stroucken, P. Thomas, and S.W. Koch, phys. stat. sol. (b) 238, 439 (2003). Ultrafast ac Stark effect switching of the active photonic band gap from Bragg-periodic semiconductor quantum wells, J.P. Prineas, J.Y. Zhou, J. Kuhl, H.M. Gibbs, G. Khitrova, S.W. Koch, and A. Knorr, Appl. Phys. Lett. 81, 4332 (2002). Semiconductor Optics in Photonic Crystal Structures, T. Meier and S.W. Koch, in "Photonic Crystals - Advances in Design, Fabrication and Characterization", Eds. K. Busch, S. Lölkes, R.B. Wehrspohn, and H. Föll, Wiley-VCH, Berlin (2004), pp.~43-62. Many-body Coulomb effects in the optical properties of semiconductor heterostructures, T. Meier, B. Pasenow, P. Thomas, and S.W. Koch, John von Neumann Institute for Computing, Jülich, Germany, NIC Series Vol. 20, 261 (2004). Linear and nonlinear pulse propagation in a multiple-quantum-well photonic crystal, N.C. Nielsen, J. Kuhl, M. Schaarschmidt, J. Förstner, A. Knorr, S.W. Koch, G. Khitrova, H.M. Gibbs, and H. Giessen, Phys. Rev. B 70, 075306 (2004). Nonlinear optical properties of semiconductor quantum wells inside microcavities, T. Meier, C. Sieh, S.W. Koch, Y.-S. Lee, T.B. Norris, F. Jahnke, G. Khitrova, and H.M. Gibbs, in "Optical Microcavities", Ed. K. Vahala, World Scientific (in print). Adiabatically driven electron dynamics in a resonant photonic band gap: optical switching of a Bragg periodic semiconductor, M. Schaarschmidt, J. Förstner, A. Knorr, J.P. Prineas, N.C. Nielsen, J. Kuhl, G. Khitrova, H.M. Gibbs, H. Giessen, and S.W. Koch, Phys. Rev. B (in print). Downloadable talks: Spacedependent optical and electronic properties of semiconductor photoniccrystal structures Semiconductor photonic-crystal structures: Optical spectra and carrier dynamics Optical properties of semiconductor photoniccrystal structures

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Stand: 2. December 2004, by F. Bollin