Optical modulation and switching with enhanced third order nonlinearity multiple quantum well effects
First Claim
1. A multiple quantum well exciton confinement photonic apparatus of voltage determined large third order optical nonlinearity capability comprising the combination of:
- a substrate member of selected semiconductor material composition;
a multiple quantum well modified layer of said semiconductor material formed over a portion of said substrate member;
a first layer of electrically insulating dielectric material formed over a portion of said multiple quantum well semiconductor material;
electrode array means including a plurality of electrode members disposed in spatial periodicity on said dielectric material adjacent said multiple quantum well semiconductor material layer and held at predetermined polarities and voltage amplitudes with respect to said substrate member for generating exciton confinement periodic regions and enhanced optical nonlinearity effects in said multiple quantum well semiconductor material;
said spatial periodicity being of a period substantially equal to a Bohr radius of said semiconductor material; and
means including optical input and output port members for communicating light signals to and from said multiple quantum well semiconductor layer.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A multiple quantum well arrangement which achieves significantly improved third order optical nonlinearity in a semiconductor device by way of spatially periodic electrodes applied to the semiconductor device. The spatial period of the applied electrodes and the resulting exciton confinement dimension is improved over that of previous multiple quantum well structures and to the Bohr radius range of dimensions for the semicondcutor material by way of av
The invention described herein may be manufactured and used by or for the Government of the United States for all governmental purposes without the payment of any royalty.
87 Citations
20 Claims
-
1. A multiple quantum well exciton confinement photonic apparatus of voltage determined large third order optical nonlinearity capability comprising the combination of:
-
a substrate member of selected semiconductor material composition; a multiple quantum well modified layer of said semiconductor material formed over a portion of said substrate member; a first layer of electrically insulating dielectric material formed over a portion of said multiple quantum well semiconductor material; electrode array means including a plurality of electrode members disposed in spatial periodicity on said dielectric material adjacent said multiple quantum well semiconductor material layer and held at predetermined polarities and voltage amplitudes with respect to said substrate member for generating exciton confinement periodic regions and enhanced optical nonlinearity effects in said multiple quantum well semiconductor material; said spatial periodicity being of a period substantially equal to a Bohr radius of said semiconductor material; and means including optical input and output port members for communicating light signals to and from said multiple quantum well semiconductor layer. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
-
-
13. A method for providing confined exciton third order nonlinear optical effects in a semiconductor sample incident optical beam comprising the steps of:
-
communicating said optical beam as input signal to a selected one of a transmission mode and a reflection mode beam altering relationship with an optical waveguide received sample of multiple quantum well said semiconductor material; generating within said semiconductor material sample an exciton confinement energy band relationship wherein exciton electrons are concentrated in valley reigons of an uppermost conduction band and exciton holes are concentrated in hill regions of a lowermost valence band; said generating step including disposing said conduction band valley and valence band hill regions within said semiconductor material by applying a spatially periodic electric field generating voltage pattern across a surface region of said semiconductor material; said spatially periodic electric field having a period length up to an excitonic Bohr radius of said semiconductor material; and collecting from said semiconductor material a voltage controlled third order optical nonlinearity effect-altered beam output optical signal. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
-
Specification