ABSTRACT
We experimentally demonstrate Cooper pairs' drastic enhancement of the band-to-band radiative recombination rate in a semiconductor. Electron Cooper pairs injected from a superconducting electrode into an active layer by the proximity effect recombine with holes injected from a p-type electrode. The recombination of a Cooper pair with p-type carriers dramatically increases the photon generation probability of a light-emitting diode in the optical-fiber communication band. The measured radiative decay time rapidly decreases with decreasing temperature below the superconducting transition temperature of the niobium electrodes. Our results indicate the possibility to open up new interdisciplinary fields between superconductivity and optoelectronics.
ABSTRACT
Combining linear absorption and nonlinear third harmonic generation (THG) experiments, we investigate details of the electronic structure of the highly correlated electronic system in La2CuO4. We demonstrate strong THG mainly due to the charge transfer excitation from O (2p(sigma)) to Cu (3d(x2-y2)). The THG spectrum shows pronounced features due to three-photon and two-photon resonance enhancement as well as quantum interference effects. We obtain excellent agreement with a THG spectrum calculated in terms of the excitonic cluster model and can identify both odd and even symmetry excitation modes.
