Patent ID: 7593606
Filing Date: 2009-09-22
Classification: B82Y,G02F

Abstract:
1. An optical modulator, comprising: a horizontal waveguide grating structure (WGS) receiving an incident radiation beam propagating in a non-horizontal direction, the WGS including a horizontal waveguiding layer along which a lateral propagation mode is guided, the lateral propagation mode having a vertically extending mode profile; and a multiple quantum well (MQW) layer sufficiently proximal to said horizontal waveguiding layer to be within a vertical extent of said mode profile of said lateral propagation mode; and an electric field source applying a time-varying electric field to said MQW layer; wherein said optical modulator modulates said incident radiation beam according to said time-varying electric field, to generate a modulated radiation beam propagating in one of a transmitted direction and a reflected direction.