All-Optical Switching Using Dispersive Nonlinearities in InGaAs/GaAs Single Quantum Well Laser Diodes,
Abstract
All optical switching due to nonlinear Fabry-Perot modulation has been obtained in laser diodes electrically biased below lasing threshold. The advantage of such devices over their passive counterparts is the realization of amplification of the input optical signal. This eliminates the problem of fan-out capabilities of all-optical switching devices. The mechanism for the nonlinear refraction arises through gain saturation by optical depletion of carriers. The structure used in the measurements was grown on a n-doped GaAs substrate by molecular beam epitaxy and comprised a single 50A thick undoped In0.2Ga0.8As quantum well layer sandwiched between undoped GaAs layers each 0.1 micrometer thick. Due to the significant lattice mismatch between the In0.2Ga0.8As quantum well and the GaAs barrier, in plane biaxial compressive strain is present in the quantum well. The cladding layers of Al0.2Ga0.8As on either side of the core were doped n-type and p-type respectively. The top layer was capped by 0.1 micrometer p+-GaAs layer. Gold stripes each 100 micrometers wide were deposited on the surface and the laser diodes were cleaved to a length of 500 micrometers.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Apr 01, 1992
- Accession Number
- ADP008171
Entities
People
- Alex M. Miller
- M. Ogawa
- P. K. Wa
- R. M. Park
- T. W. Kao
Organizations
- University of Central Florida