• DocumentCode
    940845
  • Title

    Limits to modulation rates of electroabsorption modulators

  • Author

    Forsberg, Erik ; Hessmo, Björn ; Thylén, Lars

  • Author_Institution
    Dept. of Microelectron. & Inf. Technol., R. Inst. of Technol., Kista, Sweden
  • Volume
    40
  • Issue
    4
  • fYear
    2004
  • fDate
    4/1/2004 12:00:00 AM
  • Firstpage
    400
  • Lastpage
    405
  • Abstract
    We analyze the speed limitations of optical electroabsorption modulators. We argue that modulation rate limits are closely related to quantum mechanical adiabaticity. By analyzing the breakdown of the adiabatic approximation, analytical expressions for modulation limits are found. These expressions are numerically validated. Furthermore, we discuss the constraints on the allowable modulation rate set by losses from the quantum well and transition linewidth.
  • Keywords
    electro-optical modulation; electroabsorption; optical losses; quantum well devices; semiconductor device models; semiconductor quantum wells; adiabatic approximation; electroabsorption modulators; losses; modulation rates; quantum mechanical adiabaticity; quantum well; speed limitations; transition linewidth; Electric breakdown; Energy states; Optical losses; Optical modulation; Optical refraction; Optical variables control; Quantum cascade lasers; Quantum mechanics; Schrodinger equation; Voltage;
  • fLanguage
    English
  • Journal_Title
    Quantum Electronics, IEEE Journal of
  • Publisher
    ieee
  • ISSN
    0018-9197
  • Type

    jour

  • DOI
    10.1109/JQE.2004.825209
  • Filename
    1278608