33 ps optical switching of symmetric self-electro-optic effect devices

We report significant improvement in the optical switching times of symmetric self-electro-optic effect devices due to enhanced tunneling by using a 35 Å barrier versus the previous 60 Å barrier thick multiple quantum well GaAs/AlxGa(1−x)As devices. Also, the voltage required for bistability was reduced from 10 V in the thick barrier devices to 3 V in the thin barrier devices with no apparent degradation in the contrast ratio.