ABSTRACT
C. Ell, J . Prineas, T. R. Nelson Jr., S. Park, E. S. Lee, H. M. Gibbs, G. Khitrova, and S. W. Koch
ABSTRACT
7.1 I NTRODUCTION
Dramatic progress has been made in understanding the nonlinear optical properties of semiconductors [ 1 4-25] . Optical nonlinearities in semiconductors are attractive from both an applicational and a basic point of view, and epccially in quantum confined nanostmctures such as semiconductor quantum wells, quantum wires, and quantum dots where the optical nonlinearities are strongly enhanced. Semiconductor quantum-confined nonlinearities are utilized in devices such as high bandwidth light modulators, switches , self electrooptic effect devices (SEEDs), and saturable absorb crs for modelocking solid state lasers . Also. the nonlinear properties of semiconduc tors are very important in semiconductor lasers sueh as diode lasers, and VeSELs. Optical nonlinearities can be related to thc change in the optical dielectric constant as a response to an incident light field. The excitonic nonlinearity is a subject of particular interest since the exciton is the basic unit of excitation in a semiconductor.
