Nonlinear dynamics of optical semiconductor systems

Abstract

Semiconductors exhibit close to the band edge large optical nonlinearities due to many-body effects in the system of the optically excited electrons and holes. Such many-body effects are state filling, screening, energy renormalization and excitonic enhancement, they all contribute to dependence of the optical properties on the electron-hole concentration. This density dependence can give rise to optical instabilities, particularly if one provides optical feedback by means of an optical resonator. As examples we will describe the nonlinear dynamics of passive and active semiconductors in long external cavities, related to the experiments of Klingshirn et al. and of Elsäßer et al.