All-Optical Switching between Optical Bistability and Multistability via Exciton Spin Relaxation

All-optical coherent control of optical bistability (OB) and optical multistability (OM) in the 4.8 nm ZnSe single-quantum well based on excitons and biexciton transitions is investigated. By applying a pair of phase-locked laser pulses all-optical coherent control can be obtained. Theoretical analysis with density matrix and Maxwell equations then yield the optical bistability and optical multistability. It is shown that by controlling the coherent and incoherent processes, the intensity threshold of OB and OM can be modified. Also, it is found that the switching between OB and OM or vice versa can be occurred for some controllable parameters. (atomic and molecular physics)