Abstract

Electroabsorption in GaAs/AI_xGa_1-xAs multiple quantum well (MOW) structures has been studied extensively due to the potential application to optical modulators and switches. Room temperature optical modulation induced by electroabsorption has been demonstrated,^1,2 but the parameters of the MQW have been fixed at an AI mole fraction x ≈ 0.3 and well and barrier thickness L_z ≈ L_b ≈ 100 Å, respectively. Since modulator performance is determined by electroabsorption, which in turn strongly depends on the MQW parameters, improvement in performance is expected, compared with that obtained by employing MQWs with conventional parameters (x ≈ 0.3 and L_z ≈ L_b ≈ 100 Å) by adjusting the MOW parameters appropriately.

© 1989 Optical Society of America