NSF Award
8802532
During the previously awarded Phase I research program, AstroPower has demonstrated a working GaAs LED fabricated on a GaAs/Si heterostructure. The selective liquid phase epitaxy growth (SLPE) method was used to obtain heteroepitaxial GaAs-on-silicon. Successful and reproducible procedures to obtain wetting and nucleation of the heteroepitaxial structure have been established. Graded interlayers to reduce lattice strain and minimize lateral dislocation propagation have been used to obtain a stoichiometric gallium arsenide overgrowth layer. Monolithic LED sources integrated with silicon N-MOS drivers have been fabricated. The AstroPower Phase II research proposal plans to optimize the monolithically integrated optical interconnect, based on the GaAs/Si SLPE technology. Phase II will use heteroepitaxial LED structures fabricated on VLSI NMOS or bipolar circuits. Continuation of this research will likely lead to the creation of a scientific base for this new optoelectronic device technology and to the manufacture of this integrated driver, GaAs emitter device during a possible Phase II award.
