358

Optoelectronics

Quantum well

Ftg.13.29
The device of Fig. 13.24 in a circuit in which it can exhibit bistability.

It is grown on a GaAs substrate, which needs to be etched away. since it is not transparent at the wavelength where the mechanism is suitable for modulation. What else can we do with this device? It can be used for light detection in the same manner as an ordinary p_i-n junction. The added advantage of the multiple quanfum well structure is that the resulting photocurrent is strongly dependent on the applied voltage and on the wavelength. lt can therefore be used, admiftediy in a very narrow range, for measuring wavelength. The most interesting application is, however, for a bistable device shor,'"'n schematically in Fig. 13.29. The wavelength of the incident light is chosen, so that decreasing reverse-bias voltage gives increasing optical absorption (line A in Fig. 13.21). In the absence of optical input, no current flor.vs. and hence all the applied voltage appears across the quantum wells. As light is incident. a photocurrent flows. hence the voltage across the quantum wells decreases. rvhich leads to higher absorption, which in furn leads to lower voltage. etc. There is obviously positive feedback, which under certain circumstances may be shown to lead to switching to a high absorption state with low voltage across
the junction.

The problem can

of course be solved rigorously by considering

the

relationship between the four variables, namely the input optical porver, P;n, the output optical power, Psu1, the voltage across the quantum wells, V, and the current flowing in the circuit, 1. First, we need
Port

: Pout(Pin' V,l),

(13.2r)

rvhich can be derived from experimental results like that shown in Fig. 13.27. Second, lr'e need the current-voltage characteristics of the circuit of Fig. I 3.2 5, which may be wriften simply as

V:Vo-IR

l.l+)

And third, we need to determine the current which flows in response to the light powcr incident upon the junction.

I: I(V,Ptn,l).

13.2s)