Title :
Carrier-induced change in refractive index of InP, GaAs and InGaAsP
Author :
Bennett, Brian R. ; Soref, Richard A. ; del Alamo, Jesís A.
Author_Institution :
Rome Air Dev. Center, Hanscom AFB, Bedford, MA, USA
fDate :
1/1/1990 12:00:00 AM
Abstract :
The change in refractive index Δn produced by injection of free carriers in InP, GaAs, and InGaAsP is theoretically estimated. Bandfilling (Burstein-Moss effect), bandgap shrinkage, and free-carrier absorption (plasma effect) are included. Carrier concentrations of 1016/cm3 to 1019/cm 3 and photon energies of 0.8 to 2.0 eV are considered. Predictions for Δn are in reasonably good agreement with the limited experimental data available. Refractive index changes as large as 10-2 are predicted for carrier concentrations of 10 8/cm3 suggested that low-loss optical phase modulators and switches using carrier injection are feasible in these materials
Keywords :
III-V semiconductors; carrier density; gallium arsenide; gallium compounds; indium compounds; optical losses; optical modulation; optical switches; refractive index; 0.8 to 2.0 eV; Burstein-Moss effect; GaAs; InGaAsP; InP; bandfilling; bandgap shrinkage; carrier concentrations; carrier induced changes; free carrier injection; free carriers; free-carrier absorption; low-loss optical phase modulators; optical switches; photon energies; plasma effect; refractive index; refractive index change; Absorption; Estimation theory; Gallium arsenide; Indium phosphide; Optical modulation; Optical refraction; Optical variables control; Photonic band gap; Plasmas; Refractive index;
Journal_Title :
Quantum Electronics, IEEE Journal of
