Abstract

The increasing volume of data transfer through optical telecommunication networks is demanding high-efficiency optical switches (e.g., photorefractive devices) in the wavelength range of 1.5 μm.¹ Narrow-gap semiconductors like cadmium mercury telluride (CMT) are natural candidates for realizing spatial holographic interconnect of optical fibers at the telecommunication wavelengths thanks to their possibility of covering the spectral range of interest. CMT heterostructures have also the advantage of being almost lattice-matched to CdTe and Cd_0.96Zn_0.04 substrates allowing the growth of almost strain-free devices. In tiie present paper we report on room- temperature transmission electromodulation in the wavelength range of 1.5 μm of multiple quantum well (MQW) CMT heterostructures diodes.

© 1996 Optical Society of America