Optimizing effective phase modulation in coupled double quantum well Mach–Zehnder modulators

We report optimal phase modulation based on enhanced electro–optic effects in a Mach–Zehnder(MZ) modulator constructed by AlGaAs/GaAs coupled double quantum well(CDQW) waveguides with optical gain. The net change of refractive indexes between two arms of the CDQW MZ modulator is derived by both the electronic polarization method and the normal-surface method. The numerical results show that very large refractive index change over 10~(-1) can be obtained, making the phase modulation in the CDQW MZ modulator very highly efficient. It is desirable and important that a very small voltage-length product for π phase shift, V_π× L_0= 0.0226 V · mm, is obtained by optimizing bias electric field and CDQW structural parameters, which is about seven times smaller than that in single quantum-well MZ modulators.These properties open an avenue for CDQW nanostructures in device applications such as electro–optical switches and phase modulators.     

Tunable resonant radiation force exerted on semiconductor quantum well nanostructures: Nonlocal effects

Resonant radiation force exerted on a semiconductor quantum well nanostructure(QWNS) from intersubband transition of electrons is investigated by taking the nonlocal coupling between the polarizability of electrons and applied optical fields into account for two kinds of polarized states. The numerical results show the spatial nonlocality of optical response can induce the spectral peak position of the exerted force to have a blueshift, which is sensitively dependent on the polarized state and the QWNS width. It is also demonstrated that resonant radiation force is controllable by the polarization and incident directions of applied light waves. This work provides effective methods for controlling optical force and manipulating nano-objects, and observing radiation forces in experiment. This nonlocal interaction mechanism can also be used to probe and predominate internal quantum properties of nanostructures, and to manipulate collective behavior of nano-objects.