Semiconductor Waveguide Switches and Modulators,

Abstract

Many people think that the electrooptic properties of GaAs and InP are inferior to those in LiNbO3. This is not the case. It is true that the linear electrooptic coefficient r is much smaller in these semiconductors than in LiNbO3. However, the refractive index n is much larger, and the relative permittivity epsilon sub r, is much smaller. As a result, the most important figure of merit PI A/delta f (modulating power/bandwidth), which is proportional to er/n6r2 in waveguide modulators, in GaAs or InP is comparable to that in LiNbO3, in the wavelength region 1-1.6um. Besides the linear electrooptic (Pockels) effect, a variety of physical phenomena in these materials resulting in changes of the refractive index and the absorption coefficient can be utilized to build fast and compact modulators/switches.

Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Jul 01, 1992
Accession Number
ADP008013

Entities

People

  • Kunio Tada

Organizations

  • University of Tokyo

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Advanced Electronics

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Absorption Coefficients
  • Coefficients
  • Dielectric Permittivity
  • Figure Of Merit
  • Integrated Circuits
  • Materials
  • Modulators
  • Optoelectronic Devices
  • Refractive Index
  • Semiconductors
  • Switches
  • Waveguide Switches
  • Waveguides

Readers

  • Microwave Engineering.
  • Optical Physics and Photonics.
  • Regression Analysis.

Technology Areas

  • Microelectronics