Polarization dependence of a 1.52 mu m InGaAs/InP multiple quantum well waveguide electroabsorption modulator

A ridge-waveguide In/sub 0.53/Ga/sub 0.47/As/InP multiple-quantum-well (MQW) electroabsorption modulator operating at a wavelength of 1.52 mu m is demonstrated. The modulator exhibits large polarization-dependent electroabsorption behavior which favors the modulation of the TM mode. At a reverse bias of 10 V, the modulator has a 24.5-dB extinction ratio for the TM mode, whereas that for the TE mode is only 11.1 dB. Polarization-dependent saturation of absorption has been observed in this device for incident optical power levels of less than 1 mW.