Abstract

We study the coherent dynamics of interband and intraband polarizations of Bloch oscillations in a GaAs/Al_0.7Ga_0.3 As semiconductor superlattice. Time-resolved measurements of both polarizations are simultaneously performed by combination of four-wave mixing and an electro-optic detection scheme in one experimental setup. This combination allows us to gain a much more comprehensive picture of the dynamics of a multilevel system. Distinctive differences in the oscillation frequencies and the dephasing of both polarizations are found. They arise from the fact that excitonic quantum beats are observed in four-wave mixing, whereas a quantum interference of electrons in continuum states is detected in the electro-optic signal. As a consequence, the polarizations are governed by different selection rules that explain the pronounced differences in the oscillation frequencies found for specific experimental conditions.

© 1996 Optical Society of America

Coherent dynamics and dephasing of one-dimensional magnetoexcitons in GaAs

U. Siegner, S. Glutsch, S. Bar-Ad, M.-A. Mycek, P. Kner, and D. S. Chemla
J. Opt. Soc. Am. B 13(5) 969-976 (1996)

Dephasing of interacting heavy-hole and light-hole excitons in GaAs quantum wells

K. Bott, E. J. Mayer, G. O. Smith, V. Heuckeroth, M. Hübner, J. Kuhl, T. Meier, A. Schulze, M. Lindberg, S. W. Koch, P. Thomas, R. Hey, and K. Ploog
J. Opt. Soc. Am. B 13(5) 1026-1030 (1996)

Polarization dependence and selection rules of transient four-wave mixing in GaAs quantum-well excitons

Henry H. Yaffe, Yehiam Prior, J. P. Harbison, and L. T. Florez
J. Opt. Soc. Am. B 10(4) 578-583 (1993)

Time-resolved measurements of the polarization state of four-wave mixing signals from GaAs multiple quantum wells

A. E. Paul, J. A. Bolger, Arthur L. Smirl, and J. G. Pellegrino
J. Opt. Soc. Am. B 13(5) 1016-1025 (1996)

Coherent terahertz radiative dynamics of excitons from ultrafast optical excitation of single semiconductor quantum wells

Chaiyuth Chansungsan
J. Opt. Soc. Am. B 13(12) 2792-2801 (1996)