Optimisation of semiconductor quantum well structures for optical rectification and frequency doubling

The optimisation of optical rectification and frequency doubling at submillimetre wavelengths using QW structures has been undertaken. The central issue in the optimisation of QW structures for optical processing is the design of structures whose electronic wavefunctions maximise the appropriate nonlinear optical coefficient. Electronic wavefunctions in asymmetric and graded QW structures have been calculated using a simple but efficient numerical technique which exploits the analogy between optical waveguides and quantum well structures