Abstract

Recently, the idea of using strong optical fields to improve nonlinear optical conversion efficiencies in atomic systems has received considerable attention,^1,2 Harris et al. proposed that a field strongly coupled between two upper states of a multistate atomic system could, under appropriate conditions, resonantly enhance the nonlinear susceptibility while at the same time inducing transparency. Following this proposal, it. was demonstrated that applying a strong dc electric field to atomic hydrogen leads to a resonantly enhanced second-order susceptibility with reduced absorption at the second-harmonic wavelength.³ These results have motivated more recent suggestions that analogous effects may be possible in semiconductor quantum wells.^4,6 Manipulating absorption in a quantum well is potentially important for a wide range of optics applications, including sum-frequency generation and optical switching.

© 1993 Optical Society of America