Increased Optical Saturation Intensities in GaInAs Multiple Quantum Wells(MQW) with AlGaInAs Barriers

Abstract : Electroabsorptive devices made with quantum wells and bulk III-V semiconductors are proving to be useful for both optical modulation and optical logic elements. For many applications, the saturation of this electroabsorption at high optical intensities is a serious problem. For example, both external modulators and SEEDs display contrast saturation at high power. A decrease in bandwidth at high power has also been observed. Although phase-space filling is believed to be the dominant mechanism of absorption saturation in the absence of a field in MQWs, Cavicchi demonstrated that large photogenerated hole populations could screen fields applied to MQWS.