Coherent Nonlinear Optics

The quantum statistical properties of radiation represent an important branch of modern physics with rapidly increasing applications in spectroscopy, quantum generators of radiation, optical communication, etc. They have also an increasing role in fields other than pure physics, such as biophysics, psychophysics, biology, etc. Interesting applications have been developed in high energy elementary particle collisions. The present monograph represents an extension and continuation of the previous monograph by this author entitled Coherence of Light (Van Nostrand Reinhold Company, London 1972, translated into Russian in the Publishing House Mir, Moscow 1974, second edition published by D. Reidel, Dordrecht-Boston 1985) and ofa review chapter in Progress in Optics, Vol. 18 (edited by E. Wolf, North-Holland Publishing Company, Amsterdam 1980) as well.

In last years increasing attention has been again devoted to interpretations of quantum theory. In the same time interesting quantum optical experiments have been performed using nonlinear optical processes, in particular frequency down conversion, which provided new information about nature of a photon on the basis of interference and correlation (coincidence) phenomena. Such single-photon and twin-photon effects of quantum optics provide new point of view of interpretations of quantum theory and new tests of its principles. The purpose of this book is to discuss these questions. To follow this goal we give brief reviews of principles of quantum theory and of quantum theory of measurement. As a fundamental theoretical tool the coherent state technique is adopted based on a general algebraic treatment, including the de­ scription of interaction of radiation and matter. Typical quantum behaviour of physical systems is exhibited by nonclassical optical phenomena, which can be examined using photon interferences and correlations.

This thesis sheds light on the unique dynamics of optoelectronic devices based on semiconductor quantum-dots. The complex scattering processes involved in filling the optically active quantum-dot states and the presence of charge-carrier nonequilibrium conditions are identified as sources for the distinct dynamical behavior of quantum-dot based devices. Comprehensive theoretical models, which allow for an accurate description of such devices, are presented and applied to recent experimental observations. The low sensitivity of quantum-dot lasers to optical perturbations is directly attributed to their unique charge-carrier dynamics and amplitude-phase-coupling, which is found not to be accurately described by conventional approaches. The potential of quantum-dot semiconductor optical amplifiers for novel applications such as simultaneous multi-state amplification, ultra-wide wavelength conversion, and coherent pulse shaping is investigated. The scattering mechanisms and the unique electronic structure of semiconductor quantum-dots are found to make such devices prime candidates for the implementation of next-generation optoelectronic applications, which could significantly simplify optical telecommunication networks and open up novel high-speed data transmission schemes.