Picosecond Nonlinear Optics of and Stimulated Emission from n- and p-type MBE ZnSe

Abstract

An explosion of interest in ZnSe based optoelectronic devices has followed the reports of diode laser action associated with this material [1,2]. We have, over a period of years, been investigating the nonlinear optical properties of bulk and thin-film ZnSe, initially with concern for all-optical switches and logic elements employing either optothermal or optoelectronic mechanisms. Degenerate-four-wave-mixing, nonlinear Fabry-Perot and z-scan techniques have been employed to measure the absorption cross-sections and induced refractive indices at cw, nanosecond and subpicosecond timescales, with particular concern for near-gap enhancements [3-6].