Dynamical optical tuning of the coherent phonon detection sensitivity in DBR-based GaAs optomechanical resonators

P. SESIN, P. SOUBELET, V. VILLAFAÑE, A. E. BRUCHHAUSEN, B. JUSSERAND, A. LEMAÎTRE, N. D. LANZILLOTTI-KIMURA, AND A. FAINSTEIN

PHYSICAL REVIEW B

AMER PHYSICAL SOC

Lugar: New York; Año: 2015 vol. 92 p. 75307 - 75307

1098-0121

We present a detailed time-resolved differential reflectivity study of the electronic and the coherent phonon generation response of a GaAs optical microcavity after resonant picosecond laser pulse excitation. A complex behavior is observed as a function of laser-cavity-mode detuning and incident power. The observed response is explained in terms of the large dynamical variations of the optical cavity-mode frequency induced by the ultrafast laser excitation, related to the optical modulation of the GaAs-spacer index of refraction due to photoexcited carriers. It is demonstrated that this effect leads to a strong optical dynamical tuning of the coherent phonon detection sensitivity of the device.