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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.
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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

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References

REFERENCES

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