Abstract

For understanding and optimization of the photo refractive gain it is important to know the basic parameters of photo-ionization and recombination processes. In the nanosecond regime the pulse energies required for maximum coupling gain in semiconductors easily reach the limit for saturation of the deep centers. especially if one of the recombination times is larger than the pulse duration. In that case, induced absorption (or bleaching) will appear due to a redistribution of the population of the different levels of the deep center and counterbalance photorefractive amplification. The present simultaneous study of the kinetics of the induced absorption and the photocurrent in an InP:Fe sample reveals a number of interesting parameters like electron and hole recombination times, ionization cross sections and Fe²⁺/Fe³⁺ concentrations.

© 1990 Optical Society of America