Premium
Coherence Control of Photocurrents in Semiconductors
Author(s) -
van Driel H. M.,
Sipe J. E.,
Haché A.,
Atanasov R.
Publication year - 1997
Publication title -
physica status solidi (b)
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.51
H-Index - 109
eISSN - 1521-3951
pISSN - 0370-1972
DOI - 10.1002/1521-3951(199711)204:1<3::aid-pssb3>3.0.co;2-u
Subject(s) - coherence (philosophical gambling strategy) , semiconductor , physics , interference (communication) , phase (matter) , quantum , light beam , optics , optoelectronics , beam (structure) , quantum interference , coherent control , laser , quantum mechanics , computer science , telecommunications , channel (broadcasting)
It has not been widely appreciated that the phase of an optical beam can be used as a parameter to control the properties of matter. However, if two or more phase‐related beams connect the same initial and final quantum states of a system, interference between the different quantum mechanical pathways can influence the final configuration. When harmonically‐related optical beams generate carriers in semiconductors the relative phase of the two beams can be used to generate and control the directionality of an electrical current in the absence of any external bias. We briefly review recent activity in coherently controlled photocurrents for quantum well and bulk semiconductors and indicate how the effects can also be understood in terms of nonlinear optics.