Tunable infrared modulator and switch using Stark shift in step quantum wells

Abstract

A tunable infrared modulator and/or switch using intersubband Stark shift in a step quantum well is discussed. The device utilizes the intersubband absorption and the large change of separation between energy levels in the step quantum well under an applied electric field. The incident infrared beam on the device is either absorbed or transmitted depending on the energy separation of the levels, and thus the modulation can be achieved by adjusting the energy levels with an applied electric field. The extremely short lifetime of the intersubband transition makes this modulator suitable for application in high-speed long-wavelength optical communications.< <ETX xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">&gt;</ETX>