We have studied a GaAs–AlAs planar microcavity with a resonance near 1300 nm in the telecom range by ultrafast pump-probe reflectivity. By the judicious choice of pump frequency, we observe an ultimate fast and reversible decrease in the resonance frequency by more than half a linewidth due to the instantaneous electronic Kerr effect. The switch-on and switch-off of the cavity is only limited by the cavity storage time of τcav = 0.3 ps and not by intrinsic material parameters. Our results pave the way to supraterahertz switching rates for on-chip data modulation and real-time cavity quantum electrodynamics.
Incl. erratum Appl. Phys. Lett. 99 199901 1-1 (2011).

doi.org/10.1063/1.3580615
Appl. Phys. Lett.

Ctistis, G., Yuce, E., Hartsuiker, A., Claudon, J., Bazin, M., Gérard, J.-M., & Vos, W. L. (2011). Ultimate fast optical switching of a planar microcavity in the telecom wavelength range. Appl. Phys. Lett., 98(16, Article number: 161114), 1–3. doi:10.1063/1.3580615