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Journal of Applied Physics

Simulation of ZnSe-based self-electro-optic effect devices

D. Merbach, Eckehard Schöll, J. Gutowski

Published May 15, 1999• 2 citations
Publisher

Abstract

We present computer simulations of self-electro-optic effect devices in different circuit environments, based on the quantum confined Stark effect in wide-gap materials with strong excitonic features. Our work is founded on a microscopic model of the electric field dependent absorption in ZnCdSe/ZnSSe quantum well structures, taking full account of Coulomb induced intersubband coupling and strong excitonic effects, which is essential for all wide-gap materials and distinguishes our theory from standard models of III–V compounds. Optical bistability and even multistability are predicted from the electro-optical and optical input–output characteristics for a wide range of operating conditions. The dependence upon the optical frequency, bias voltage, length of the waveguide and quantum well width, and possible optimization of the performance of the electro-optic modulator are discussed.

DOI
10.1063/1.370511

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We present computer simulations of self-electro-optic effect devices in different circuit environments, based on the quantum confined Stark effect in wide-gap materials with strong excitonic features. Our work is founded on a microscopic model of the electric field dependent absorption in ZnCdSe/ZnSSe quantum well structures, taking full account of Coulomb induced intersubband coupling and strong excitonic effects, which is essential for all wide-gap materials and distinguishes our theory from standard models of III–V compounds. Optical bistability and even multistability are predicted from the electro-optical and optical input–output characteristics for a wide range of operating conditions. The dependence upon the optical frequency, bias voltage, length of the waveguide and quantum well width, and possible optimization of the performance of the electro-optic modulator are discussed.
Electro-optical effects, such as the Franz-Keldysh effect in bulk materials or the quantum confined Stark effect in quantum well structures, lead to strong optoelectronic nonlinearities which form the basis for optical modulators and optically bistable devices. They result from a modification of the optical absorption properties by an applied electric field and are particularly pronounced in the case of low dimensional semiconductors. We review theoretical modelling and computer simulations of such optoelectronic devices in particular for ZnSe based quantum well structures, where excitonic features dominate even at room temperature. The field dependent absorption spectra are calculated by a many-body theory including the full electron-electron interaction. The transition from the quantum confined Stark effect, which is found for well widths smaller than the exciton Bohr diameter, to the Franz-Keldysh effect, which corresponds to the limit of wide wells, is studied. Optical bistability and switching is found in R-SEED and D-SEED configurations, and the optimization of the device performance is discussed.
The quantum confined Stark effect has found wide application in devices for optical modulation and bistable switching. Whilst normally-incident strained layer modulators and self electro-optic effect devices (SEEDs) have been demonstrated [1-3], the introduction of strain has provided little performance advantage. Recently there has been a growing interest in the properties of strained piezoelectric structures resulting from growth on orientations other than the (100) [4-6]. In this communication we present the results of an investigation of the electro-optical absorption modulation properties of a strained InGaAs/GaAs multiple quantum well p-i(MQW)-n grown on a (111)B GaAs substrate. Subsequently we demonstrate optical bistability using the self electro-optic effect without the application of an external bias.
Infrared intersubband optical absorption between the quantized subbands and the Stark effects is of considerable interest because of their potential applications in high-speed IR modulators and photodetectors. Recently, we calculated the linear1 and third-order nonlinear2 intersubband optical absorptions with an applied electric field for the infinite quantum-well model with an effective well width (which gives the same ground state energy of a given finite quantum well). The observed intersubband absorption has a large dipole strength suggesting large optical nonlinearities which are in good agreement with our calculation based on the simple model. Distinct features of the intersubband absorption are as follows: (a) The absorption peak for the intersubband absorption increases in energy with increasing electric field over a wide range of the electric field because the energy difference between the two lowest subbands increases with the electric field. (b) The absorption peak for the intersubband absorption may (1) increase in magnitude with an increasing electric field if the intrasubband relaxation time τin is assumed to be constant or (2) decrease with an increasing electric field if the field broadening of the linewidth is taken into account. The nonlinear optical absorption coefficient with the electric field dependence is discussed.
The excitonic nonlinearities in II-VI wide gap semiconductors have recently become an interesting research topic. Andersen et al.1 studied the saturating absorption of excitonic resonance in ZnSe single crystal films and (Zn, Mn)Se superlattices, which they attributed to Coulombic screening for the case of ZnSe film or a wide-well (Zn,Mn)Se quantum well structure at 77 K, and the Coulombic screening and phase space filling for a narrow-well structure. Gribkovskii et al.2 have observed the increase of excitonic absorption optical bistability in ZnSe film and attributed it to excitonic broadening and gap renormalization for the nonlinear mechanism. We report the first observation of optical bistability in ZnSe/ZnS MQWs grown by MOCVD on CaF2 substrates.
The authors present a new type of optically bistable phase modulator utilizing a self electrooptic effect device (SEED) integrated with an electrooptic wavelength modulator. An electrically bistable SEED, operating on the principle of the quantum-confined Stark effect, controls the bias voltage across an electrooptic waveguide phase modulator to produce optical bistability. A control signal at 0.848 mu m, corresponding to the first electron to heavy hole exciton transition in GaAs/AlGaAs multiple-quantum-well is used to switch 1.152 mu m light propagating through a waveguide in a direction normal to the control beam.>