METHOD OF FABRICATING AND OPERATING AN OPTICAL MODULATOR

摘要

A method of making an optical modulator by determining the material composition of the quantum well region in the waveguide portion of the modulator so that the modulator is transparent at a gain peak wavelength that is greater than the predetermined wavelength by a predetermined amount, and fabricating the modulator with the determined material composition.

主权项

1. A method of operating an optical modulator including a semiconductor device having an optical input for receiving a continuous wave coherent light beam having a predetermined power, a waveguide for transferring the light beam, an electrode connected to a radio frequency signal input and a bias potential for creating an electric field in the waveguide and optically modulating the light beam as the beam traverses the waveguide, and an optical output connected to the waveguide for transferring the modulated optical signal, comprising;
applying a continuous wave (cw) coherent light beam to the optical input; and applying a bias voltage to the electrode so that the coherent light beam is optically modulated by the signal modulating the absorption characteristic in the semiconductor device so that the waveguide operates in the absorption region at wavelengths less than the gain peak wavelength.