OPTICAL MODULATION METHOD, OPTICAL MODULATOR MANUFACTURING METHOD, OPTICAL MODULATOR

摘要

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an optical modulation method that can allow both high modulation efficiency and power saving.SOLUTION: The optical modulation method includes: forming an n layer 11, and a pseudo p layer 12 into which a p-type dopant is implanted; generating diffusion current in the n layer 11 and the pseudo p layer 12 by applying a forward bias voltage; repeatedly changing the distribution of the p-type dopant implanted into any one or more of the pseudo p layers 12 based on Joule heat generated by the generated diffusion current, and reducing the diffusion current to lower the Joule heat at a site where near-field light is generated, based on the distribution of the changed p-type dopant; fixing the dopant distribution in the pseudo p layer 12 and configuring the pseudo p layer 12 as p-type semiconductor 21; and causing light to propagate through the p-type semiconductor 21 and applying a modulation electric field to the light in a propagation direction and in a substantially vertical direction, thereby modulating the polarization direction or the propagation direction of the light.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 7