Dynamic control of coherent pulses via Fano-type interference in asymmetric double quantum wells

Journal Article · Mon May 15 04:00:00 EDT 2006 · Physical Review. A

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PHYSREVA.73.0· OSTI ID:20787312

Jinhui, Wu; Jinyue, Gao ^[1]; Jihua, Xu; Silvestri, L; La Rocca, G C; Bassani, F ^[2]; Artoni, M ^[3]

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1. College of Physics, Jilin University, Changchun 130023 (China)
2. Scuola Normale Superiore and INFM, Piazza dei Cavalieri 7, 56126 Pisa (Italy)
3. Department of Physics and Chemistry of Materials, Brescia University and LENS, Via Valotti 9, 25133 Brescia (Italy)

We study the temporal and spatial dynamics of two light pulses, a probe and a switch, propagating through an asymmetric double quantum well where tunneling-induced quantum interference may be observed. When such an interference takes place, in the absence of the switch, the quantum well is transparent to the probe which propagates over sufficiently long distances at very small group velocities. In the presence of a relatively strong switch, however, the probe pulse is absorbed due to the quenching of tunneling-induced quantum interference. The probe may be made to vanish even when switch and probe are somewhat delayed with respect to one another. Conversely, our asymmetric double quantum well may be rendered either opaque or transparent to the switch pulse. Such a probe-switch 'reciprocity' can be used to devise a versatile all-optical quantum interference-based solid-state switch for optical communication devices.

• OSTI ID: 20787312
• Journal Information: Physical Review. A, Journal Name: Physical Review. A Journal Issue: 5 Vol. 73; ISSN 1050-2947; ISSN PLRAAN
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

74 ATOMIC AND MOLECULAR PHYSICS
ASYMMETRY
DATA TRANSMISSION
DISTANCE
INTERFERENCE
LIGHT TRANSMISSION
PULSES
QUANTUM WELLS
QUENCHING
SOLIDS
TUNNEL EFFECT
VISIBLE RADIATION