Rashba induced spin multistability of the intersubband optical absorption in asymmetric coupled quantum wells

We study the multistable behavior of the intersubband optical absorption for InSb-based tunnel-coupled quantum wells. We consider four sublevels coming from the splitting of the two deepest levels due to the inversion asymmetry of the structure (Rashba effect), and a weak external in-plane magnetic field (Zeeman effect). Photoexcitation with an intense terahertz pump produces the redistribution of nonequilibrium electrons among the four spin sublevels. The redistribution produces a photoinduced self-consistent potential, giving rise to the renormalization of energy distance between sublevels. Depending on total electron concentration, magnetic field intensity, and pumping efficiency, we find different multistable behaviors in the intersubband optical absorption spectrum. Based on the matrix density, we describe the electron redistribution by means of a system of balance equations for electron concentrations. (C) 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.