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Integrated All-Optical Devices Fabricated Using Area-Selective Disordering of Multiple Quantum Well Structures

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  10 February 2011

Patrick LiKamWa ,
Ayman Kan'an ,
Mitra Dutta  and
Jagadeesh Pamulapati
Patrick LiKamWa
Affiliation:
Center for Research and Education in Optics and Lasers (CREOL), University of Central Florida 4000 Central Florida Blvd., Orlando, FL 32816–2700. E-mail: likamwa@creol.ucf.edu
Ayman Kan'an
Affiliation:
Center for Research and Education in Optics and Lasers (CREOL), University of Central Florida 4000 Central Florida Blvd., Orlando, FL 32816–2700. E-mail: likamwa@creol.ucf.edu
Mitra Dutta
Affiliation:
Center for Research and Education in Optics and Lasers (CREOL), University of Central Florida 4000 Central Florida Blvd., Orlando, FL 32816–2700. E-mail: likamwa@creol.ucf.edu
Jagadeesh Pamulapati
Affiliation:
Center for Research and Education in Optics and Lasers (CREOL), University of Central Florida 4000 Central Florida Blvd., Orlando, FL 32816–2700. E-mail: likamwa@creol.ucf.edu
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Abstract

We describe a method of silicon oxide capped disordering of GaAs /AlGaAs multiple quantum wells (MQW) and its application to the fabrication of passive waveguides integrated with nonlinear switching sections. The silicon oxide cap in this work was formed by spinning a solution of glass forming compound and curing it. The characteristics of the disordering process has been studied by monitoring the shift of the photoluminescence as a function of rapid thermal annealing temperature and fitting the n=1 electron heavy-hole level to that calculated from an error function diffusion profile. Our results indicate a Ga-Al inter-diffusion constant of 8×10−16 cm2s−1 at 980°C and an activation energy of 4.4eV which is similar to values reported by other researchers.

The disordering process is then used to define selected areas of disordered and non-disordered MQWs and ridge waveguide structures were fabricated by conventional photolithography and wet chemical etching. Two structures have been studied. One is the nonlinear zero-gap directional coupler with disordered input and output branching waveguides, and the other is the symmetric nonlinear integrated Mach-Zehnder interferometer with one arm containing a non-intermixed MQW section. The devices investigated using a pump-probe set-up, exhibited strong all-optical switching behavior with a contrast ratio of 15:1.

Type
Research Article
Information
MRS Online Proceedings Library (OPL) , Volume 450: Symposium O – Infrared Applications of Semiconductors , 1996 , 401
Copyright
Copyright © Materials Research Society 1997

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References

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