Thermo-optical dynamics in an optically pumped Photonic Crystal nano-cavity

Linear and non-linear thermo-optical dynamical regimes were investigated in a photonic crystal cavity. First, we have measured the thermal relaxation time in an InP-based nano-cavity with quantum dots in the presence of optical pumping. The experimental method presented here allows one to obtain the dynamics of temperature in a nanocavity based on reflectivity measurements of a cw probe beam coupled through an adiabatically tapered fiber. Characteristic times of 1.0+/-0.2 mu s and 0.9+/-0.2 mu s for the heating and the cooling processes were obtained. Finally, thermal dynamics were also investigated in a thermo-optical bistable regime. Switch-on/off times of 2 mu s and 4 mu s respectively were measured, which could be explained in terms of a simple non-linear dynamical representation. (C) 2008 Optical Society of America