OPTICAL BISTABILITY IN ZINC-SULFIDE AND ZINC-SELENIDE THIN-FILM INTERFERENCE FILTERS AND IN GALLIUM-ARSENIDE AND COPPER-CHLORIDE ETALONS (NONLINEAR).

Two-photon optical bistability in commercial thin-film interference filters with ZnS and ZnSe spacers is observed with switching times ≳ 200 μs. The accompanying drifting of the bistability loop in time and laser-induced "damage" indicate a thermal mechanism. The problem of water vapor absorption in such filters must be addressed before the inherent potential and advantages of these devices in two-dimensional image processing applications can be realized. Trans- verse effects in GaAs superlattice etalons are observed which cannot be explained on the basis of a plane-wave analysis. The optical nonlinearity in GaAs and diffraction combine to produce drastic effects on the measured beam profiles and bistable loops, due to an intensity-dependent virtual focus. Lastly, the first observation of optical bistability due to a biexcitonic nonlinearity in CuCl etalons is reported with detector-limited switching times of 600 ps. In addition, lasing action along the pump axis in a cavity defined by the end mirrors is observed in a very thin (2.0 μm) CuCl etalon. The lasing transition is unique in that it involves the creation of a virtual excitation of biexcitons which decay to the longitudinal exciton state.

Name thesis:degree_name

Ph.D.

Level thesis:degree_level

doctoral

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Optical Sciences

Grantor dc:publisher

The University of Arizona.

Year dc:date.issued

1984

Author dc:creator

• WEINBERGER, DOREEN ANNE.

Advisor dc:contributor.advisor

• Gibbs, Hyatt M.

Committee members dc:contributor.committeemember

• Sarid, Dror
• Seraphin, Bernie

• Optical bistability.
• Thin films -- Optical properties.

Statement dc:rights

• Copyright © is held by the author. Digital access to this material is made possible by the University Libraries, University of Arizona. Further transmission, reproduction or presentation (such as public display or performance) of protected items is prohibited except with permission of the author.

Language dc:language.iso

en

Handle dc:identifier.uri

http://hdl.handle.net/10150/187922

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:repository.arizona.edu:10150/187922