<title>Single-mode optically activated phase modulator on GaAs/GaAlAs compound semiconductor channel waveguides</title>

Abstract

We report on optically-activated phase modulator (OAM) and modulator array on GaAs- GaAlAs compound semiconductor channel waveguides. A channel waveguide device with an optical activation window of 5 micrometers in diameter was fabricated. Optical activation was produced by using a HeNe 632.8 nm wavelength as the free-carrier generator and a 1.3 micrometers laser as the signal carrier. Thirty-three percent modulation depth was observed and 10-2 index modulation was experimentally confirmed on an OAM working in the phase modulation regime. OAMs working in both phase- and cutoff-modulation regimes were theoretically determined by considering the fluctuation of the waveguide confinement factor. 8.2 dB modulation depth was observed on an OAM working at the cutoff regime. Furthermore, the activation source is in the mW power region which significantly reduces the size and cost of all optical switching devices.© (1993) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.