Abstract

Vertical-cavity surface-emitting laser (VCSEL)-based optical switching devices are useful for optical processing, optical computing, and optical interconnection, because of their compact surface-normal format, and direct 2-D optical address ability. For maximum architectural flexibility in optical network design, switching devices with different functional characteristics, as well as different logic gates should be integrable on a common substrate, using a single epitaxial structure. We have demonstrated the monolithic integration of several VCSEL-based optical logic gates with or without memory, we believe for the first time. The latching and nonlatching gates consist of the integration of GaAs/AlGaAs VCSELs with heterojunction photothyristors (PNPNs) and heterojunction phototransistors (HPTs), respectively. Since the HPTs are formed by simply removing tire top p-layers of the photo thyristors, both latching and nonlatching gates are integrable on a common substrate.

© 1992 Optical Society of America