Semiconductor multiple quantum well Mach-Zehnder optical modulator

摘要

A Mach-Zehnder type optical modulator having a ridge structure including a multiple quantum well wave guide layer (104) expanding both in a passive region (121,123) and in an active phase modulation region (122) on which an electrical field is applied, wherein the wave guide layer (104) is selectively grown by a metal organic vapor phase epitaxy (MOVPE) with use of dielectric stripe mask patterns (201) having a large width in the active phase modulation region (122) and a small width in the passive region (121,123) so that the wave guide layer (104) has a band gap wavelength equal to or near a wavelength of an incidental light in the active phase modulation region (122) and a smaller band gap wavelength smaller than the wavelength of the incidental light in the passive region (121,123).