High-efficiency electroabsorption in quaternary AlGaInAs quantum-well optical modulators

Abstract

Quaternary AlGaInAs quantum-well optical modulators operating at 1.55μm are introduced and demonstrated for the first time. An electron-to-heavy-hole exciton absorption peak shift of over 600 Å is observed for a bias voltage of 6 V. An extinction ratio of 19 dB and high-speed operation over 4 GHz is obtained for this optical modulator.