High power performance of nonbiased optical bistable devices using multiple shallow quantum well p-i-n-i-p diodes

Abstract

We studied the laser power dependence of the performance of nonbiased optical bistable devices (NOBDs) which are composed of two identical multiple shallow quantum wells p-i-n-i-p diodes connected in series. Under the illumination of the laser of a wavelength corresponding to that of the exciton absorption, the diode revealed both the maximum photocurrent and the large negative differential resistance in the forward bias region, fulfilling the conditions of the nonbiased optical bistable operation without any external bias voltage. With the laser power up to 2 mW in a circle of 10 mu m diameter, the reflectivity change of similar to 20% and the contrast ratio of 2 : 1 were maintained between the on-and off-states of the NOBD. These results ensure that the proposed device is a good candidate for high-speed optical bistable operation using a high power laser.