On The Optimization Of Ingaas-inalas Quantum-well Structures For Electroabsorption Modulators

Several InGaAs-InAlAs multiple quantum-well structures grown by metalorganic vapor phase epitaxy (MOVPE), with various Ga content and quantum-well width, have been investigated for electroabsorption modulators (EAM's). The light-hole heavy-hole splitting, the chirp parameter, the insertion loss and the figure of merit ΓΔα/F of the different InGaAs-InAlAs structures have been evaluated with photocurrent, photoluminescence, absorption and X-ray measurements. It was then possible to experimentally study the influence of different parameters of the multiple quantum-well structures on the device performance. The use of tensile strained barriers are believed to be responsible for the improvement in the figure of merit. Structures with unresolved light-hole and heavy-hole transitions, with negligible chirp, with adequate insertion loss and with extremely high values for ΓΔα/F have been obtained, however, not simultaneously.184598603Schmitt-Rink, Chemla, D.S., Miller, D.A., Linear and nonlinear optical properties of semiconductors quantum wells (1989) Adv. Phys., 38, pp. 89-188. , MarWakita, K., Kotaka, I., Multiple-quantum-well optical modulators and their monolithic integration with DFB lasers for optical-fiber communications (1994) Microwave Opt. Technol. Lett., 7, pp. 120-128. , FebIdo, T., Tanaka, S., Suzuki, M., Koizumi, M., Sano, H., Inoue, H., Ultrahigh-speed multiple-quantum-well electro-absorptive optical modulator with integrated waveguides (1996) J. Lightwave Technol., 14, p. 2026. , DecWood, T.H., Pastralan, J.Z., Burrus Jr., C.A., Johnson, B.C., Miller, B.I., De Miguel, J.L., Koren, U., Young, M.G., Electric field screening by photogenerated holes in multiple quantum wells: A new mechanism for absorption saturation (1990) Appl. Phys. Lett., 57, pp. 1081-1083. , SeptBastard, G., Mendez, E., Chang, L., Esaki, L., Variational calculations on a quantum well in a electric field (1983) Phys. Rev. B, 28, pp. 3241-3245. , SeptMartin, R.W., Wong, S.L., Nicholas, R.J., Satzke, K., Gibbon, M., Thrush, E.J., The design of quantum-confined Stark effect modulators for integration with 1.55 μm lasers (1993) Semicond. Sci. Technol., 8, pp. 1173-1178. , AprChin, M.K., Chang, W.S.C., Theoretical design optimization of multiple quantum-well electroabsorption waveguide modulators (1993) IEEE J. Quantum Electron., 29, pp. 2476-2487. , SeptBigan, E., Allovon, M., Carrè, M., Braud, C., Carenco, A., Voisin, P., Optimization of optical waveguide modulators based on the Wannier-Stark localization: An experimental study (1992) IEEE J. Quantum Electron., 28, pp. 214-233. , JanIdo, T., Sano, H., Tanaka, S., Moss, D.J., Inoue, H., Performance of strained InGaAs/InAlas multiple-quantum-well electroabsorption modulators (1996) J.Lightwave Technol., 14, pp. 2324-2331. , OctHenry, C.H., Logan, R.A., Bertness, K.A., Spactral dependence of the change in refractive index due to carrier injection in GaAs lasers (1981) J. Appl. Phys., 52, pp. 4457-4461. , JulyChelles, S., Ferreira, R., Voisin, P., Harm, J.C., High performance polarization insensitive electroabsorption modulator based on strained GaInAs-AlInAs multiple quantum wells (1995) Appl. Phys. Lett., 67, pp. 247-249. , JulyWakita, K., Kotaka, I., Yoshino, K., Kondo, S., Noguchi, Y., Polarization independent electroabsorption modulators using strain-compensated InGaAs-InAlAs MQW structures (1995) IEEE Photon. Technol. Lett., 7, pp. 1418-1420. , DecYamanaka, T., Wakita, K., Yokoyama, K., Potential chirp-free characteristics (negative chirp parameter) in electroabsorption modulators using a wide tensile-strained quantum well structure (1996) Appl. Phys. Lett., 68, pp. 3114-3116. , MayWakita, K., Kotaka, I., Motomi, O., Asai, H., Kawamura, V., Observation of low-chirp modulation in InGaAs-InAlAs multiple-quantum-well optical modulators under 30 GHz (1991) IEEE Photon. Technol. Lett., 3, pp. 138-140. , FebYamanaka, T., Wakita, K., Yokoyama, K., Pure strained effect on reducing the chirp parameter in InGaAsP/InP quantum well electroabsorption modulators (1997) Appl. Phys. Lett., 70, pp. 87-89. , JanMatsuda, M., Morito, K., Yamaji, K., Fujii, T., Kotaki, Y., A novel method for designing chirp characteristics in electroabsorption MQW optical modulators (1998) IEEE Photon. Technol. Lett., 10, pp. 364-366. , MarHou, H.Q., Chang, T.Y., Nearly chirp-free electroabsorption modulation using InGaAs-InGaAlAs-InAsAs coupled quantum wells (1995) IEEE Photon. Technol. Lett., 7, pp. 167-169. , FebChuang, S.L., (1995) Physics of Optoelectronic Devices, , New York: WileyNakwaski, W., Effective masses of electrons and heavy holes in GaAs, InAs, AlAs and their ternary compound (1995) Physica B, 210, pp. 1-25. , JanPamplona Pires, M., Yavish, B., Souza, P.L., Chirp dependence in InGaAs/InAlAs multiple quantum well electro-absorptive modulators near polarization-independent condition (1999) Appl. Phys. Lett., 72, pp. 271-273. , JulyMitomi, O., Kataka, I., Wakita, K., Nojima, S., Kuwano, K., Kawamura, Y., Asai, H., 40 GHz bandwidth InGaAs/InAlAs multiple quantum well optical intensity modulators (1992) Appl. Opt., 31, pp. 2030-2035. , Ap