Optoelectronic integration: A technology for future telecommunication systems

An overview is given of research on optoelectronic integrated circuits (OEICs) since the late 1970s. The current state of OEICs for telecommunication applications is examined. The quaternary alloy material InGaAsP, which can be grown lattice matched to InP, is the material of choice for fabricating emitters and detectors. Because these materials do not lend themselves to a simple MESFET technology, there has been extensive research into alternative electronic device structures such as MISFETs, JFETs, and heterojunction bipolar transistors for integration with optical devices. Problems that remain to be solved are identified.<
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