A thin film CdS-self-electro-optic effect device with identically contrasted (0.95/1) optical and electro-optical loops at 210 K

• Published in: Journal of applied physics 1991-05, Vol.69 (10), p.7357-7359
• Main Authors: ULLRICH, B, BOUCHENAKI, C, ZIELINGER, J. P, NGUYEN CONG, H, CHARTIER, P
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Condensed matter: electronic structure, electrical, magnetic, and optical properties; Electrooptical effects; Exact sciences and technology; Optical properties and condensed-matter spectroscopy and other interactions of matter with particles and radiation; Optical properties of bulk materials and thin films; Physics
• ISSN: 0021-8979; 1089-7550
• DOI: 10.1063/1.347595

We report an investigation of the improved photothermal bistable features of a thin (6 μm) CdS Self-Electro-optic Effect Device prepared by spray deposition on pyrex. For the excitation, the 514.5 nm laser line was used. Optical, optoelectronic, electrical, and electrooptical bistabilities were observed at 210 K. It is shown that it is possible to reach with thin CdS films comparable contrasted ratios in the optical and optoelectronic bistabilities. The function of the device is explained by the measured transmission dependence of the temperature. A generalized model basing on Urbach’s rule for calculating the temperature dependence of the absorption coefficient is presented, leading to a fairly good agreement with the measured curve. Furthermore, the switch-off time of the optical bistability is observed to be unusually small (5 ms) for the used laser focus diameter (400 μm).