Contrast ratio and hysteresis width of optical bistability in quantum-dot vertical-cavity semiconductor optical amplifiers integrated with MEMS membrane

Abstract

The characteristics of optical bistability in quantum dot vertical cavity semiconductor optical amplifier integrated with MEMS membrane have been investigated, and a closed-form model is derived taking into account the effect of the quantum dot discrete states and the membrane deflection and reflectivity. We show that small membrane deflection significantly adjusts the resonant wavelength, the contrast ratios and the hysteresis width. The shape of the input–output characteristics of the device can be adjusted to display clockwise, butterfly and counterclockwise hysteresis loops depending on the membrane deflection and the initial wavelength detuning. Our analysis reveals that the contrast ratios of the upper and lower bistable levels are totally different. Also, it has been shown that the characteristics of the bistability are strong function of the active layer linewidth enhancement factor and the membrane reflectivity.