Optical modulator based on piezoelectrically driven anisotropic optical absorption

U.S. Patent Number: 5387997

Abstract: An optic modulator having a transparent piezoelectric substrate, an active multiple quantum well (MQW) epilayer with bottom electrical contacts bonded to the substrate, wherein the substrate is cut such that its thermal expansion coefficient is matched or roughly matched to that of the MQW epilayer in the direction parallel to the long axes of the bottom contacts and so that the piezoelectrically-active direction of the substrate is normal to the long axes of the bottom contacts. In order to control the bias of the MQW epilayer a transparent contact is disposed over the MQW epilayer. In operation, the piezoelectric substrate, when activated, will displace an anisotropic strain on the MQW epilayer which will break the rotational symmetry in the plane of the MQW. This will result in anisotropic mixing of the heavy and light holes in the MQW epilayer and thus, will result in an anisotropic excitonic absorption of light normal to the MQW epilayer.

Inventors: Iafrate; Gerald J. (Raleigh, NC), Dutta; Mitra (Matawan, NJ), Shen; Hongen (Howell, NJ), Stroscio; Michael A. (Durham, NC), Ballato; Arthur (Oceanport, NJ)

Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Army (Washington, DC)

Application Number: 08/159,902

Issued: 1995-02-07

Expired: 2007-02-07

Classes: 359/248 ; 257/14; 359/245; 359/323

Field of search: 359/237,238,245,248,276,285,286,323 257/14,15,18,22,94,96,97

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