Patent ID: 8780431

Claim:
A plasmon absorption modulator system comprising: a semiconductor substrate having a top surface; a variable absorption layer; a metal layer having a length parallel to the top surface of the semiconductor substrate and configured to enable propagation of plasmons along its length; and a coupling structure configured to receive electromagnetic radiation and in response to such received radiation to generate a plasmonic current in the metal layer, and/or to receive plasmonic current from the metal layer and in response to such received current to generate and transmit electromagnetic radiation; wherein the variable absorption layer comprises a plurality of quantum well layers stacked on a top surface of the semiconductor substrate; wherein the metal layer is formed on a top surface of the stack of quantum well layers; and wherein the variable absorption layer is configured to attenuate plasmons of at least some frequencies propagating along the metal layer by an amount that depends on a voltage applied across the stack of quantum well layers.