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IEEE Journal of Lightwave Technology
Volume 18 Number 4, April 2000

Table of Contents for this issue

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On the Optimization of InGaAs-InAlAs Quantum-Well Structures for Electroabsorption Modulators

Mauricio Pamplona Pires, Patrícia Lustoza de Souza, Boris Yavich, Ricardo G. Pereira and Wilson CarvalhoJr.

Page 598.

Abstract:

Several InGaAs-InAlAs multiple quantum-well structures grown by metalorganic vapor phase epitaxy (MOVPE), with various Ga content and quantum-well width, have been investigated for electroabsorption modulators (EAM's). The light-hole heavy-hole splitting, the chirp parameter, the insertion loss and the figure of merit /F of the different InGaAs-InAlAs structures have been evaluated with photocurrent, photoluminescence, absorption and X-ray measurements. It was then possible to experimentally study the influence of different parameters of the multiple quantum-well structures on the device performance. The use of tensile strained barriers are believed to be responsible for the improvement in the figure of merit. Structures with unresolved light-hole and heavy-hole transitions, with negligible chirp, with adequate insertion loss and with extremely high values for /F have been obtained, however, not simultaneously.

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