Nonlinear guided waves coupled nonlinearly in a planar GaAs/GaAlAs multiple quantum well structure

A nonlinear guided-wave concept and nonlinear coupled-wave equations are used to study numerically the coupling characteristics of two planar waveguides in a GaAs/GaAlAs multiple quantum well structure with self-defocusing nonlinearities. Both the mode-intensity-dependent critical power and the coupling length are calculated for the first time using the nonlinear field distributions. An optically controlled modulation/switching behavior is predicted.