Hostname: page-component-76fb5796d-dfsvx Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-04-26T19:09:19.906Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

High Performance Quantum Well Asymmetric Fabry-Perot Reflection Modulators: Effect of Layer Thickness Variations

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  26 February 2011

K-K. Law ,
M. Whitehead ,
J. L. Merz  and
L. A. Coldren
K-K. Law
Affiliation:
Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of California, Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA 93106.
M. Whitehead
Affiliation:
Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of California, Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA 93106.
J. L. Merz
Affiliation:
Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of California, Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA 93106.
L. A. Coldren
Affiliation:
Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of California, Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA 93106.
Get access

Abstract

We present a study of the effects of the active cavity layer thickness variation on the operating characteristics of normally-on low-voltage high performance asymmetric Fabry-Perot modulators. For a modulator consisting of 25.5 periods of a multiple-quantum-well active region (100Å GaAs / 45Å (GaAs/AlAs) short period superlattices) with 5 pairs and 20.5 pairs of top and bottom quarter-wave stacks respectively, assuming only layer thickness variation in the active cavity caused by Ga flux nonuniformity, the shift of the Fabry-Perot mode wavelength is ∼5.8 times that of the QW heavy-hole exciton. This affects the relative distance between the wavelengths of the quantum well exciton and the Fabry-Perot resonance, and hence the performance of the modulators. Also, the tolerable percentage change of the Fabry-perot mode wavelength should be less than 0.13% in order that such modulator arrays have at least 10:1 contrast ratios at a fixed optimum operating wavelength. This defines the epitaxial growth tolerance for obtaining the uniformity of the operating wavelength of an array and the precision with which we can obtain a desired wavelength, its reproducibility, and its uniformity across a wafer.

Type
Research Article
Information
MRS Online Proceedings Library (OPL) , Volume 240: Symposium E – Advanced III-V Compound Semiconductor Growth, Processing and Devices , 1991 , 609
Copyright
Copyright © Materials Research Society 1992

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

REFERENCES

1. Whitehead, M., Rivers, A., parry, G., Roberts, J. S., and Button, C., Electron. Lett., 25, p. 984, 1989.Google Scholar
2. Yan, R. H., Simes, R. J., and Coldren, L. A., IEEE Photon. Tech. Lett., 2, p. 118, 1990.Google Scholar
3. Law, K-K., Yan, R. H., Merz, J. L., and Coldren, L. A., Appl. Phys. Lett., 56, p. 1886, 1990;Google Scholar
Law, K-K., Coldren, L. A., and Merz, J. L., IEEE Photon. Technol. Lett., 3., p. 324, 1991.Google Scholar
4. Law, K-K., Whitehead, M., Merz, J. L., and Coldren, L. A., Electron. Lett., 27, p. 1863, 1991.Google Scholar
5. Babic, D. I. and Corzine, S. W., to be published in J. Quantum Electron‥Google Scholar
6. Weber, J.-P., Malloy, K. and Wang, S., IEEE Photon. Tech. Lett., 2, p. 162, 1990.Google Scholar
7. Law, K -K. and Babic, D. I., private communication.Google Scholar