SiGe-Si quantum-well electroabsorption modulators

Abstract
We have measured the characteristics of SiGe-Si quantum-well (QW) waveguide electroabsorption modulators grown by molecular beam epitaxy (MBE). The modulation is based on the decoupling of the electron wavefunction from the shallow wells for electrons with a small band-bending. A 100-μm-long modulator demonstrates contrast ratio and insertion loss of 1.43 and 28.5 dB, respectively.