Abstract

Vertical cavity surface emitting(VCSE) lasers have made substantial progress recently[1-5], making them attractive for optical interconnect, optical storage and optical signal processing applications. The devices can be tested at the wafer level, and processed to form one or two dimensional arrays of almost arbitrary size and spacing. However, for many applications, for these devices to be a viable component requires that they be compatible with prevalent circuit technologies. Si CMOS technology is the most widely used low cost, high density digital technology. We discuss here the issues specific to driving large integrated laser arrays, and describe the first successful hybrid integration of Si CMOS drivers with InGaAs/GaAs VCSE laser arrays operating at bit rates up to 622 Mb/s.

© 1991 Optical Society of America