SWITCH ENERGY-REQUIREMENTS FOR FIRST-ORDER AND 2ND-ORDER PERTURBATIONS IN ASYMMETRIC QUANTUM BOX OPTICAL SWITCHES

We have studied the limits to the switching energy of electrically con trolled optical absorption switches, Investigating a case with intraba nd transitions in asymmetric quantum boxes, it is shown that linear St ark shift allows switch energies of the optical switches that are comp arable to the thermal noise limit at 300 K at least up to 30 GHz, prov ided boxes with very narrow absorption linewidth can be fabricated. Th is is several orders of magnitude lower energy than required by quadra tic Stark shift in a similar, symmetric structure.