Vertical cavity X-modulators for reconfigurable optical interconnection and routing

Abstract

We are continuing to develop conservative and reversible optoelectronic intensity modulators. In our first device, two of the inputs are optical and the third in the device's initial implementation is an electrical control signal. These devices are essentially controllable optical routing elements, or controllable mirrors or beam-splitters. In one state beams incident from opposite sides of the device are reflected and in the other state they are transmitted. Using arrays of these devices, various switching networks can be constructed including crossbar switches and other regular or irregular 2- or 3-D architectures. The device structure is composed of quantum wells in a Fabry-Perot cavity. Our devices are grown using molecular beam epitaxy (MBE) using the InGaAs materials system with in-situ reflectivity measurements and subsequent growth corrections. The design of the devices or arrays of devices can be focused on optimizing bandwidth, modulation ratio, voltage, or change in reflectivity, depending on the denied application. Several systems applications and associated device refinements are discussed.