Title

Integrated all-optical devices fabricated using area-selective disordering of multiple quantum well structures

Abstract

We describe a method of silicon oxide capped disordering of GaAs/AlGaAs multiple quantum wells (MQW) and its application to the fabrication of passive waveguides integrated with nonlinear switching sections. The silicon oxide cap in this work was formed by spinning a solution of glass forming compound and curing it. The characteristics of the disordering process has been studied by monitoring the shift of the photoluminescence as a function of rapid thermal annealing temperature and fitting the n = 1 electron heavy-hole level to that calculated from an error function diffusion profile. Our results indicate a Ga-Al inter-diffusion constant of 8×10-16 cm2s-1 at 980 °C and an activation energy of 4.4 eV which is similar to values reported by other researchers. The disordering process is then used to define selected areas of disordered and non-disordered MQWs and ridge waveguide structures were fabricated by conventional photolithography and wet chemical etching. Two structures have been studied. One is the nonlinear zero-gap directional coupler with disordered input and output branching waveguides, and the other is the symmetric nonlinear integrated Mach-Zehnder interferometer with one arm containing a non-intermixed MQW section. The devices investigated using a pump-probe set-up, exhibited strong all-optical switching behavior with a contrast ratio of 15:1.

Publication Date

1-1-1997

Publication Title

Materials Research Society Symposium - Proceedings

Volume

450

Number of Pages

401-406

Document Type

Article; Proceedings Paper

Personal Identifier

scopus

Socpus ID

0030647820 (Scopus)

Source API URL

https://api.elsevier.com/content/abstract/scopus_id/0030647820

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