Title :
Modulation of visible light by AlAs-AlGaAs multiple-quantum-well p-i-n structures
Author :
Shishkov, Milen ; Karwicki, F. ; Hasan, Zameer ; Cunningham, Jack E.
Author_Institution :
Naval Air Warefare Center, Patuxent River, MD, USA
fDate :
8/1/1999 12:00:00 AM
Abstract :
We report measurements on the modulation of visible light by a multiple-quantum-well (MQW) modulator designed for normal incidence. The MQW structure is composed of AlAs-AlxGa1-xAs with an Al concentration x=0.41. The structure exhibits an exciton absorption peak at 608 nm in the visible part of the spectrum. The phase and amplitude modulation properties of this structure mere studied using a Michelson interferometer that employed a novel double lock-in detection technique. Phase and amplitude modulation were studied as a function of the wavelength to determine their maxima. In our structure, phase modulation up to 200 and amplitude modulation up to 8% were observed. These values are comparable to what is typically achieved by using waveguide geometry
Keywords :
III-V semiconductors; aluminium compounds; amplitude modulation; electro-optical modulation; excitons; gallium arsenide; light interferometry; p-n heterojunctions; phase modulation; quantum well devices; visible spectra; 608 nm; Al concentration; AlAs-AlxGa1-xAs; AlAs-AlGaAs; MQW structure; Michelson interferometer; amplitude modulation; double lock-in detection technique; exciton absorption peak; maxima; multiple-quantum-well modulator; multiple-quantum-well p-i-n structures; normal incidence; phase modulation; visible light; visible light modulation; visible spectrum; waveguide geometry; wavelength; Absorption; Amplitude modulation; Electrodes; Excitons; Geometry; Optical modulation; Optical waveguides; PIN photodiodes; Phase modulation; Quantum well devices;
Journal_Title :
Quantum Electronics, IEEE Journal of
