Abstract

There are two different models to explain the observed optical bistability (OB) in GaAs. Haken and Goll¹ use the saturation of the two-level (electron and hole) atoms as the mechanism of OB, whereas the Stark shift of excitons is the dominant factor in the work by Koch and Haug.² We analyze both models, including the local field effect.³ It is shown that the validity of each model depends very much upon the parameters involved. We also give a similar analysis for CuCℓ where the biexcitons are important. In contrast to the earlier work by Abram and Maruani,⁴ we find by careful analysis, including the origin of the background dielectric constant, that the local field correction is not important in this case. The contribution of the exciton and biexciton interaction, however, can be important and should be included in the calculation of OB given by Haug.⁵ The changes in the numerical results of Ref. ⁵, by including the exciton-biexciton interaction and the local field correction are to be represented.

© 1983 Optical Society of America