Vertical-cavity X-modulators for WDM

Jeffry S. Powell; John Alfred Trezza; Martin Morf; James S. Harris Jr.

doi:10.1117/12.238917

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1 May 1996 Vertical-cavity X-modulators for WDM

Jeffry S. Powell, John Alfred Trezza, Martin Morf, James S. Harris Jr.

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Proceedings Volume 2690, Wavelength Division Multiplexing Components; (1996) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.238917
Event: Photonics West '96, 1996, San Jose, CA, United States

Abstract

We have developed a conservative and reversible optoelectronic intensity modulator. Two of the inputs are optical and the third in the device's initial implementation is an electrical control signal. The device is essentially a controllable optical routing element. In one state beams incident from opposite sides of the device are reflected and in the other state they are transmitted. Using arrays of these devices, various switching networks can be constructed, including crossbar switches and other regular or irregular architectures. The device itself is composed of quantum wells in a Fabry-Perot cavity. Our device is grown using molecular beam epitaxy (MBE) and can be realized using several materials systems, so that varying wavelengths of operation can be obtained. In addition, the radial thickness non uniformity due to rotation during MBE growth can be exploited to obtain devices operating at different wavelengths on the same wafer. The design of the devices or arrays of devices can be focused on optimizing bandwidth, modulation ratio, voltage, or change in reflectivity, depending on the desired application. In this work we will describe the use of the devices for several systems applications and discuss some further refinements to the device that make it more useful in a systems context.

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Jeffry S. Powell, John Alfred Trezza, Martin Morf, and James S. Harris Jr. "Vertical-cavity X-modulators for WDM", Proc. SPIE 2690, Wavelength Division Multiplexing Components, (1 May 1996); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.238917

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