All-Optical, High-Contrast Asymmetric Fabry-Perot Modulator

• Main Authors: Heffernan, J. F., Moloney, M. H., Hegarty, J.
• Other Authors: TRINITY COLL DUBLIN (IRELAND)
• Format: Text
• Language: English
• Published: 1992
• Subjects: Electrooptical and Optoelectronic Devices; *LIGHT MODULATORS; ABSORPTION; CONTRAST; INSERTION LOSS; MODULATION; RATIOS; REFLECTIVITY; REFRACTIVE INDEX; SPACERS; GALLIUM ARSENIDES; ALUMINUM GALLIUM ARSENIDES; HETEROJUNCTIONS; LOW LOSS; ICELAND; Component Reports; Fabry Perot etalons; Multiple quantum wells; Quantum wells; Iceland
• Online Access: http://www.dtic.mil/docs/citations/ADP007414; http://oai.dtic.mil/oai/oai?&verb=getRecord&metadataPrefix=html&identifier=ADP007414

We have demonstrated all-optical modulation of a normally off asymmetric Fabry-Perot etalon with a nonlinear GaAs/AlGaAs multiple quantum well spacer. Large changes in reflectivity were observed giving an extremely high contrast ratio of 160:1 with less than 1 dB insertion loss. We have determined the nature of this modulation to be due to strong absorption and refractive index changes in the non-linear spacer. This article is from 'OSA Proceedings of the International Topical Meeting on Photonic Switching Held in Salt Lake City, Utah on 6-8 March 1992. Volume 8,' AD-A253 026, p227 thru p230.