Photonic Devices on Si Using SiGe Interlayer Technology

AmberWave Systems Corporation (ASC) proposes to implement its proprietary SiGe interlayer technology to demonstrate lasers on Si with emission in the visible spectrum. The technology employs ASC's proprietary SiGe interlayer processes to accommodate thelattice-mismatch and thermal expansion differences between GaAs and Si. In conjunction, ASC has established expertise in the growth of antiphase-domain-free GaAs on Ge. The final result is GaAs (and other III-V compound semiconductors) on Si ofunprecedented material quality. ASC will demonstrate the fundamental technology to develop III-V compound lasers on Si and then commercialize the technology in high-speed computation and optical communications systems. The advantages of such systems willbe the combination of the high-performance capabilities of III-V compounds with the low cost and very large scale integration capability of Si manufacturing methods. In Phase I, ASC proposes to epitaxially grow, fabricate, and test a laser on Si thatemits in the visible spectrum.AmberWave Systems Corporation (ASC) can produce monolithically integrated III-V compound optoelectronic devices on Si of world-record quality. In Phase I, ASC will validate ASC's state-of-the art materials integrationtechnology by fabricating an efficient and reliable visible laser on Si. The commercial application of such devices include high-speed computing via optical interconnects on Si and integrated optical communications systems on Si.