Double‐heterostructure GaAs‐AlxGa1−xAs [110] p‐n‐junction‐diode modulator

The properties of the lowest‐order modes that can propagate in a double heterostructure (DH) made optically anisotropic by the electric field of a p‐n junction are calculated by exactly solving Maxwell’s equations and also by using coupled‐mode theory. The results of these two treatments are in excellent agreement. The theories are then applied to study the behavior of a polarization modulator device. It is shown that this device should perform excellently as a modulator with large extinction ratios obtained with relatively small applied voltage swings and with low power consumption. Finally we report on the actual fabrication of such a device and show that its behavior is in excellent agreement with theory. For devices only 1 mm long the observed half‐wave voltage was 12 V and the corresponding extinction ratios considerably larger than 100. The device can also be integrated with DH lasers.

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