Subnanosecond optical deflection in Van der Waals bonded GaAlAs-GaAs MQW: effects of carrier lifetime and electric field

In this communication, we present preliminary results obtained on subnanosecond multiple quantum well modulators, as a step towards designing transmission deflectors. Fabrication of ultrafast transmission modulators based on GaAs/GaAlAs multiple quantum wells has been achieved by means of epitaxial lift-off. Transient grating experiments performed at high excitation energies showed diffraction efficiencies larger than 1%. The effect of a static electric field was investigated. Electric field screening has been evidenced in the picosecond regime at a pulse energy of 20 /spl mu/J/ cm/sup 2/.