Modeling of a Resonant Tunneling Diode Optical Modulator

The integration of a double barrier resonant tunneling diode within a unipolar optical waveguide provides electrical gain over a wide bandwidth. Due to the non-linearities introduced by the double barrier resonant tunneling diode an unipolar InGaAlAs/InP optical waveguide can be employed both as optical modulator and optical detector. The modeling results of a device operating as optical modulator agree with preliminary experimental data, foreseeing for an optimized device modulation depths up to 23 dB with chirp parameter between -1 and 0 in the wavelength range analyzed (1520 nm - 1600 nm).