Optical Cavity Devices Using Stacked Multi-Quantum Wells

Abstract

An optical cavity device has two spaced-apart multiple quantum well (MQW) regions, a central electrode terminal and two marginal electrode terminals. The central electrode terminal contacts a central electrode layer between the MQW regions, and each marginal electrode terminal contacts a separate marginal electrode layer on the other side of each MQW region. There are also two mirrors outside of the MQW regions, forming the cavity. The device has a less-absorptive state and a more-absorptive state selected by varying the voltage between the anode and at least one of the two cathodes. The two marginal electrode terminals may be electrically connected, or the voltage between the central electrode terminal and the marginal electrode terminals may be varied independently. These devices may form an array of detectors, modulators or both. In an array, multiple devices may share a common electrode layer. Devices may be stacked, with two or more anode terminals and two more cathode terminals alternating in the stack. Three or more MQW regions are then formed with either an anode layer or a cathode layer between each MQW region.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.