CAREER: Coherent Manipulation of Carriers and Nonlinear Optical Processes in Semiconductor Quantum Wells Via Intense Multi-Cycle Terahertz Pulses

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This CAREER award deals with research that aims to explore time-dependent carrier dynamics and nonlinear optical effects in semiconductor quantum wells (QWs) in the THz frequency range with novel techniques for generating and shaping intense multi-cycle THz pulses. Exploiting syntheses of arbitrary THz pulses, the proposed experimental schemes focus on precise and coherent control of quantum wavepacket dynamics representing internal transitions of confined excitons and intersubband transitions in semiconductor QWs. Quantum coherences and nonlinear responses of the fundamental excitations will be investigated by manipulating and monitoring temporal evolution of the wavepackets via THz time-domain spectroscopy (THz-TDS) with intense multi-cycle THz pulses. THz-TDS permits precise measurements of phase as well as amplitude of the wavepackets, thus complete quantum information of the system can be obtained. The educational program will use interactive Java programs to demonstrate the basic concepts and results of the research program based on time-domain analysis of light-matter interaction, wave propagation, and quantum wavepacket dynamics. This will be used to contribute to course revision and development of upper-division physics courses including courses in the Paradigms in Physics Project which will be disseminated nationally. Funding for this award is provided by the AMOP Program in the Physics Division in conjunction with the Condensed Matter Physics Program in the Division of Materials Research.