Effects of dispersion and birefringence on the performance of quantum well mode converters

Author

Ranalli, E.R. ; Sonek, G.J.

Author_Institution

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

Volume

10

Issue

2

fYear

1992

fDate

2/1/1992 12:00:00 AM

Firstpage

227

Lastpage

234

Abstract

The device characteristics of GaAs multiple quantum well (MQW) polarization modulators, designed for operation at wavelengths of 865 and 870 nm, respectively, are investigated and shown to depend strongly on the dispersive and anisotropic optical properties of the quantum well medium. Results indicate that the observed decrease in spectral bandwidth and conversion efficiency at wavelengths detuned from the excitonic bandgap by ~250 Å can be accounted for, theoretically, if electroabsorptive loss terms are included in the coupled-mode analysis of polarization conversion in MQW waveguides. Device design considerations and applications of MQW polarization modulators to integrated optic filtering, wavelength division multiplexing/demultiplexing, and the frequency tuning of semiconductor lasers are presented

Keywords

III-V semiconductors; birefringence; electro-optical devices; gallium arsenide; integrated optics; laser accessories; laser modes; laser tuning; light polarisation; multiplexing equipment; optical dispersion; optical modulation; 865 nm; 870 nm; GaAs; IR; MQW; MQW waveguides; WDM; anisotropic optical properties; birefringence; conversion efficiency; coupled-mode analysis; demultiplexing; design considerations; detuned wavelengths; diode laser tuning; dispersion; electroabsorptive loss terms; excitonic bandgap; frequency tuning; integrated optic filtering; laser accessories; multiple quantum well; optical switches; polarization conversion; polarization modulators; quantum well medium; quantum well mode converters; semiconductor lasers; semiconductor switches; semiconductors; spectral bandwidth; wavelength division multiplexing; Birefringence; Dispersion; Gallium arsenide; Laser tuning; Optical design; Optical filters; Optical modulation; Optical polarization; Quantum well devices; Wavelength conversion;

fLanguage

English

Journal_Title

Lightwave Technology, Journal of

Publisher

ieee

ISSN

0733-8724

Type

jour

DOI

10.1109/50.120579

Filename

120579