DEGENERATE FOUR-WAVE MIXER USING MULTIPLE QUANTUM WELL STRUCTURES

摘要

: A semiconductor apparatus is provided. The apparatus includes a multiple layer heterostructure having a first material layer, a second material layer and a semiconductor layer positioned between the first and second material layers. Comparatively, the bottom of the conduction band of the semiconductor layer lies below the bottom of the conduction band for each of the material layers. Also, the top of the valence band of the semiconductor layer lies above the top of the valence band for each of the material layers. The semiconductor layer is controlled to have sufficient thickness for achieving carrier confinement effects within the semiconductor layer to influence the optical properties of the material layer heterostructure. The semiconductor apparatus also includes components for applying an electric field to the multiple layer heterostructure and varying an optical absorption coefficient and an index of refraction for the multiple layer heterostructure in response to the applied electric field. The apparatus is adapted for use in the following applications: an optical absorption modulator, an optical phase modulator, and electrically tuned Fabry-Perot cavity, a polarization modulator, and a nonlinear or bistable apparatus in which the operating point is varied in response to a changing applied electric field.