Electroabsorption by Stark effect on room-temperature excitons in GaAs/GaAlAs multiple quantum well structures

Abstract

We report the first observation of electroabsorption in GaAs/GaAlAs multiple quantum well structures. We have been able to induce Stark shifts for room-temperature exciton resonances of ∼10 meV for applied field ∼1.6×104 V/cm in a sample with 96-Å GaAs layers, giving large changes in optical absorption (e.g., a factor of 5 or ∼4×103 cm−1 increase). This should permit optical modulators with micron path lengths and potentially very fast operation.