Electroabsorption modulator using intersubband transitions in GaN-AlGaN-AlN step quantum wells

We calculate the high-speed modulation properties of an electroabsorption modulator for lambda=1.55 mum based on Stark shifting an intersubband resonance in GaN-AlGaN-AlN step quantum wells. In a realistic simulation assuming an absorption linewidth Gamma=100 meV we obtain an RC-limited electrical f...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Published in:IEEE journal of quantum electronics 2006-08, Vol.42 (8), p.810-819
Main Author: Holmstrom, P.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Applied sciences
Chirp
Circuit properties
Cladding
Electric potential
Electric power generation
Electric, optical and optoelectronic circuits
Electrical engineering, electronics and photonics
Electroabsorption modulators
Electromagnetic wave absorption
Electronics
Elektroteknik, elektronik och fotonik
Exact sciences and technology
Fundamental areas of phenomenology (including applications)
High speed
High speed optical techniques
III-N materials
Integrated optics. Optical fibers and wave guides
intersubband transitions
Modulation
Optical and optoelectronic circuits
Optical elements, devices, and systems
Optical modulation
optical modulators
Optical processors, correlators, and modulators
Optical waveguides
Optics
Peak to average power ratio
Physics
Plasma confinement
plasma effect
Plasma waves
Quantum wells
Resonance
Stark effect
TECHNOLOGY
TEKNIKVETENSKAP
Voltage
Waveguides
Citations: Items that this one cites
Items that cite this one
Online Access:Get full text
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
Description
Summary:We calculate the high-speed modulation properties of an electroabsorption modulator for lambda=1.55 mum based on Stark shifting an intersubband resonance in GaN-AlGaN-AlN step quantum wells. In a realistic simulation assuming an absorption linewidth Gamma=100 meV we obtain an RC-limited electrical f 3dB ~60 GHz at an applied voltage swing V pp =2.8 V. We also show that a small negative effective chirp parameter suitable for standard single-mode fiber is obtained and that the absorption is virtually unsaturable. The waveguide is proposed to be based on the plasma effect in order to simultaneously achieve a strong confinement of the optical mode, a low series resistance, and lattice-matched cladding and core waveguide layers. Extrapolated results reflecting the decisive dependence of the high-speed performance on the intersubband absorption linewidth Gamma are also given. At the assumed linewidth the modulation speed versus signal power ratio is on a par with existing lumped interband modulators based on the quantum confined Stark effect
ISSN:0018-9197
1558-1713
1558-1713
DOI:10.1109/JQE.2006.877297