The monolithic integration of GaAs electronics and light emitting sources (or detectors) is a desirable method for producing compact, reliable, potentially low-cost optoelectronic modules for fiber optic communications. The material's and processing required for opto-electronic components (emitters and detectors) and electronics (FETs) are different and often incompatible. This has been primarily responsible for the relatively slow development of integrated structures. Therefore, it is important that a method be developed for combining the two dissimilar technologies using materials and processes which do nct place prohibitive restrictions on the performance or geometry of the optical and electronic devices. In this paper we present the progress and results of an integration scheme termed "emitter/detector-in-a--well" which presents a simple solution to the problems that have plagued other integration schemes. MESFET compatible A1GaAs light emitting diodes and GaAs p-n junction detectors have been successfully fabricated on semiinsulating substrates using this new integrating scheme. Adjacent to each optoelectronic component there is an exposed surface of the semi-insulating substrate (for MESFET fabrication by direct ion implantation) which is coplanar to the top surface of the GaAs optoelectronic component. The merits of this "all planar" integration technique are discussed. In addition, the fabrication and performance of MESFET compatible Transverse Junction Stripe LEDs and Be-implanted detectors are presented.

Date Published: 27 August 1982
PDF: 9 pages
Proc. SPIE 0321, Integrated Optics II, (27 August 1982); doi: 10.1117/12.933232

Published in SPIE Proceedings Vol. 0321:
Integrated Optics II
Dennis G. Hall, Editor(s)