Multidimensional coherent photocurrent spectroscopy of a semiconductor nanostructure

Multidimensional Coherent Optical Photocurrent Spectroscopy (MD-COPS) is implemented using unstabilized interferometers. Photocurrent from a semiconductor sample is generated using a sequence of four excitation pulses in a collinear geometry. Each pulse is frequency shifted by a unique radio frequency through acousto-optical modulation; the Four-Wave Mixing (FWM) signal is then selected in the frequency domain. The interference of an auxiliary continuous wave laser, which is sent through the same interferometers as the excitation pulses, is used to synthesize reference frequencies for lock-in detection of the photocurrent FWM signal. This scheme enables the partial compensation of mechanical fluctuations in the setup, achieving sufficient phase stability without the need for active stabilization. The method intrinsically provides both the real and imaginary parts of the FWM signal as a function of inter-pulse delays. This signal is subsequently Fourier transformed to create a multi-dimensional spectrum. Measurements made on the excitonic resonance in a double InGaAs quantum well embedded in a p-i-n diode demonstrate the technique. (C) 2013 Optical Society of America