Semiconductor sieves as nonlinear optical materials

Abstract

Electrochemical etching techniques were used to fabricate semiconductor sieves of gallium phosphide, i.e., two-dimensionally nanostructured membranes exhibiting an enhanced optical second harmonic generation (SHG) in comparison with the bulk material. The SHG rotational and fundamental polarization dependencies studied under sample excitation by a 1064-nm Nd-YAG laser beam indicate optical homogeneity and uniaxial symmetry of the membranes. The artificial anisotropy and the enhanced nonlinear optical response induced by nanotexturization make semiconductor sieves very promising for use in all-optical devices.