All-optical bistable switching in an active InGaAs quantum-well waveguide

Author

LiKamWa, P. ; Miller, A. ; Ogawa, M. ; Park, R.M.

Author_Institution

Center for Res. in Electro-Opt. & Lasers, Univ. of Central Florida, Orlando, FL, USA

Volume

3

Issue

6

fYear

1991

fDate

6/1/1991 12:00:00 AM

Firstpage

507

Lastpage

509

Abstract

The authors have observed low-power optical bistability in an active strained InGaAs single-quantum-well waveguide which is biased with a quasi-constant current injection 20% below the threshold current. Although the output power measured after the output collecting lens is half of the peak input power measured before the input focusing lens, it is believed that this is mainly due to the inefficient coupling into a slab mode, and that optical switching occurs with net gain in the device. A channel waveguide with a similar active medium would operate with constant DC electrical bias and should provide significant overall gain.<>

Keywords

III-V semiconductors; gallium arsenide; indium compounds; optical bistability; optical waveguides; semiconductor quantum wells; III-V semiconductor; active strained InGaAs single quantum well waveguide; all optical bistable switching; channel waveguide; constant DC electrical bias; gain; inefficient coupling; input focusing lens; output collecting lens; output power; peak input power; quasi-constant current injection; slab mode; threshold current; Gain measurement; Indium gallium arsenide; Lenses; Optical bistability; Optical coupling; Optical waveguides; Power generation; Power measurement; Quantum wells; Threshold current;

fLanguage

English

Journal_Title

Photonics Technology Letters, IEEE

Publisher

ieee

ISSN

1041-1135

Type

jour

DOI

10.1109/68.91016

Filename

91016