GaAs/GaAlAs multiquantum well waveguides for all-optical switching at 1.55 mu m

Author

Tsang, H.K. ; Grant, R.S. ; Penty, R.V. ; White, 1.H. ; Soole, J.B.D. ; Colas, E. ; Leblanc, H.P. ; Andreadakis, N.C. ; Kim, M.S. ; Sibbett, W.

Author_Institution

Sch. of Phys., Bath Univ., UK

Volume

27

Issue

22

fYear

1991

Firstpage

1993

Lastpage

1995

Abstract

The first measurements of selfphase modulation and nonlinear absorption in a GaAs/GaAlAs multiquantum well (MQW) waveguide near the half-bandgap resonance are reported. An intensity-dependent refractive index coefficient n₂ of 9*10^-14 cm²/W and a two-photon absorption coefficient of 0.15 cm/Gw at 1.55 mu m wavelength for TM light were obtained. This corresponds to an intensity-independent figure of merit of 24 rad phase change in one nonlinear absorption length, high enough to allow the implementation of subpicosecond all-optical switches at 1.55 mu m wavelength.

Keywords

III-V semiconductors; aluminium compounds; gallium arsenide; integrated optics; nonlinear optics; optical modulation; optical switches; optical waveguides; semiconductor quantum wells; 1.55 micron; GaAs-GaAlAs; III-V semiconductors; TM light; all-optical switching; half-bandgap resonance; intensity-dependent refractive index coefficient; multiquantum well waveguides; nonlinear absorption; selfphase modulation; subpicosecond all-optical switches; two-photon absorption coefficient;

fLanguage

English

Journal_Title

Electronics Letters

Publisher

iet

ISSN

0013-5194

Type

jour

DOI

10.1049/el:19911235

Filename

132950