MEASUREMENT OF THE REFRACTIVE-INDEX OF GAINAS INP QUANTUM-WELLS BY A GRATING COUPLING TECHNIQUE/

Effective indices of modes propagating in multiple GaInAs wells on InP barriers (MQW) waveguides are accurately measured in the 1.4-1.75 mu m wavelength range using the grating coupling technique. Quantum size effects cause a selective polarization absorption and high birefringen ce, strongly depending on wavelength. The temperature dependence of re fractive index and absorption originating from the temperature-depende nt band gap is also observed. In the transparency region the refractiv e indices of GaInAs wells in InP barriers are deduced for two well wid ths using a multilayer slab waveguide model and an exciton model based on Lorentzian oscillator. (C) 1995 American Institute of Physics.