Laser and LED Arrays for Optical Computing

1 New concepts in optical computing and optical interconnects require hardware developments of generic, compact, multi-element LED source array. A two dementional array of individually-addressable Light-emitting Diode optical emitters will be developed. An innovative CVD/LPE heteropitaxy technique will be employed for the monolithic integration of high-speed-surface-emitting AlGaAs/GaAs LEDs on silicon bipolar transistor driver circurity. The Phase I work utilizes a new surface-emitting LES design with projected modulation rates approaching 1 GB/swith opticalpower levels exeeding 0.2 mW. The heteroepitaxy process will be optimized with special consideration given to reducing defect densities associated with thermal stress and lattice-mismatch. The Phase I work will provide a basis for the production of large (up to 1000 x 1000 elements) prototype arrays durring a Phase II program.