Cavity-free optical bistability of a thin semiconductor film in the exciton region of the spectrum

The amplitude and frequency optical bistability in the transmission and reflection of laser radiation by a thin semiconductor film was investigated. It is caused by the interaction of the radiation with excitons and biexcitons. The appearance of a distinct region with a limit on transmission is predicted for a nonzero detuning from a resonance. A physical interpretation of the predicted characteristic features of the transmission function is given. (nonlinear optical phenomena)