Semiconductor Infrared Nonlinear Optical Materials

Abstract

AbstractLarge values of the infrared nonlinearity make semiconductors important in many optical applications. Along with the two-photon absorption coefficient and free-carrier absorption cross-section, the values of the decay rates of the generated charge carriers control the nonlinear optical performance of semiconductors. In this paper, calculations of the limits of the charge carrier decay rates for five infrared materials are provided and some experimental results, performed in the long-wave and the mid-wave infrared wavelengths on three of these materials are presented. To the authors' best knowledge, this is the first report of measurement of optical nonlinearity of Hg0.65Cd0.35Te in the 4 -5 jtm wavelength range. Comparisons of room temperature and low temperature nonlinear optical behavior of all the materials studied are presented.