A tensile-strained five-step asymmetric coupled quantum well (FACQW) structure is proposed for large field-induced refractive index change without polarization dependence and redshift of the absorption edge. A strong exciton absorption peak is caused by electron-hole transitions between symmetric wave functions and antisymmetric wave functions with a small applied electric field. The field-induced refractive index change of strained the FACQW is larger by one order of magnitude compared to that of a rectangular quantum well and the difference in the refractive index change of TE and TM modes is under 2&percent; when the operation wavelength is not at the absorption edge. ©1997 American Institute of Physics.