Abstract

Pulse propagation experiments are performed with coherent picosecond laser pulses in resonance with the donor bound A-exciton (I₂) state in CdS. Using bandwidth-limited time-resolved spectroscopy, we investigate the intensity of the transmitted laser pulse as a function of monochromator energy position and time. This method permits the determination of both the amplitude and the phase of the complex electric-field amplitude. Studying the dependence of pulse propagation on the input intensity, for small-area pulses we found at the rear of the sample the spectral hole formation and beating characteristic of a 0π pulse. At large pulse areas close to 2π the pulse propagates nearly unperturbed, showing no oscillatory reshaping or significant absorption losses. This provides clear evidence for self-induced transparency at an excitonic state in solids. Our interpretation is substantiated by an analysis within the framework of the combined Maxwell and optical Bloch equations.

© 1996 Optical Society of America

Steady-state propagation of ultrashort optical pulses in semiconductor excitonic medium

Irina B. Talanina
J. Opt. Soc. Am. B 13(6) 1308-1312 (1996)

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