Superlattice surface-normal asymmetric Fabry-Perot reflection modulators: optical modulation and switching

Author

Law, Kwok-Keung ; Mertz, J.L. ; Coldren, Larry A.

Author_Institution

Dept. of Electr. & Comput. Eng., California Univ., Santa Barbara, CA, USA

Volume

29

Issue

2

fYear

1993

fDate

2/1/1993 12:00:00 AM

Firstpage

727

Lastpage

740

Abstract

The surface-normal asymmetric Fabry-Perot reflection modulators discussed are based on the electroabsorption stemming from the effective absorption edge blue shift caused by Wannier-Stark localization in superlattices. Due to the modulator´s normally off characteristics at the Fabry-Perot resonance, they exhibit negative differential photoconductivity. When the modulator is connected to a similar modulator or a simple photodiode, the negative differential photoconductance at resonance enables the modulator to operate as a self-electrooptic effect device (SEED) that shows clear bistable loops, and also has very large on-off ratios at its output. The operating principle of these modulators and SEEDs, and their sensitivity to variations of operating wavelengths, layer thickness and composition, and temperature are discussed

Keywords

SEEDs; Stark effect; electro-optical devices; electroabsorption; integrated optics; light reflection; optical bistability; optical modulation; optical switches; photoconducting devices; semiconductor superlattices; SEED; Wannier-Stark localization; bistable loops; composition; effective absorption edge blue shift; electroabsorption; layer thickness; negative differential photoconductivity; on-off ratios; operating wavelengths; optical modulation; photodiode; resonance; self-electrooptic effect device; superlattices; surface-normal asymmetric Fabry-Perot reflection modulators; switching; temperature; Absorption; Fabry-Perot; Optical interconnections; Optical modulation; Optical reflection; Optical resonators; Optical surface waves; Optical waveguides; Resonance; Superlattices;

fLanguage

English

Journal_Title

Quantum Electronics, IEEE Journal of

Publisher

ieee

ISSN

0018-9197

Type

jour

DOI

10.1109/3.199325

Filename

199325