Beschreibung:
<jats:p>A method to enhance excitonic electrorefraction in semiconductor quantum wells is proposed, in which the well thickness and the band gap of well materials are optimized so that the figure of merit for electrorefraction is maximized. Application of this method to crossed-waveguide optical switches using InGaAlAs/InAlAs quantum wells enhances this figure of merit by ten times compared with that of conventional InGaAs/InAlAs quantum wells.</jats:p>