Enhancement of optical switching parameter and third-order optical nonlinearities in embedded Si nanocrystals: a theoretical assessment
arXiv:0804.2581 · doi:10.1016/j.optcom.2008.04.042
Abstract
Third-order bound-charge electronic nonlinearities of Si nanocrystals (NCs) embedded in a wide band-gap matrix representing silica are theoretically studied using an atomistic pseudopotential approach. Nonlinear refractive index, two-photon absorption and optical switching parameter are examined from small clusters to NCs up to a size of 3 nm. Compared to bulk values, Si NCs show higher third-order optical nonlinearities and much wider two-photon absorption threshold which gives rise to enhancement in the optical switching parameter.
8 pages, 3 figures, to be published in Optics Communications
References in corpus (3)
- Interband, intraband and excited-state direct photon absorption of silicon and germanium nanocrystals embedded in a wide band-gap lattice
- Auger recombination and carrier multiplication in embedded silicon and germanium nanocrystals
- Pathways of bond topology transitions at the interface of silicon nanocrystals and amorphous silica matrix