Magneto-optics in Diluted Magnetic Semiconductors and in Ferromagnetic-Metal/Semiconductor Hybrids

Abstract

ABSTRACTThe optical isolator made of diluted magnetic semiconductor and the isolator made of a ferromagnetic-metal/semiconductor hybrid have been developed aiming to integrate nonreciprocal optical devices, such as an optical isolator and optical circulator, into the semiconductor-made optoelectronic integrated circuits,. The Cd1-xMnxTe exhibits a huge Faraday effect and can be grown on a semiconductor substrate. For Cd1-xMnxTe waveguide with a Cd1-xZnxTe/ Cd1-xMnxTe quantum well grown on GaAs substrate we achieved a high Faraday rotation of 2000 deg/cm, a high isolation ratio of 27 dB, a low optical loss of 0.5 dB/cm, and a high magneto-optical figure-of-merit of 2000 deg/dB/kG in a wide 25-nm wavelength range. It was predicted theoretically and proved experimentally the effect of non-reciprocal loss in hybrid semiconductor/ferromagnetic metal waveguides. This effect can be use for new design of waveguide optical isolator. Because of its simplicity and technological compatibility, this design is attractive for the integration into optoelectronic integrated circuits. The magneto-optical figure-of merit of 7% was demonstrated for the AlGaAs passive optical waveguide covered by Co.