Optical bandpass switching by modulating a microcavity using ultrafast acoustics

Abstract

We present time-resolved reflectivity spectra of the cavity mode in a II-VI semiconductor based planar microcavity that is modulated by a strain pulse injected using an ultrafast acoustics technique. The modulation occurs when the strain pulse passes interfaces of the layered cavity structure at which the electric field has an antinode. Maximum modulation is reached when the pulse enters or leaves the central cavity layer. The mode shifts in the cavity with a finesse of about 2000 are comparable to its mode linewidth, which shows that the proposed technique is prospective for ultrafast optical switching.