The Engineering Research Center for Compound Semiconductor Microelectronics

The long-range vision of the Engineering Research Center for Compound Semiconductor Microelectronics (CCSM) is focused on a new generation of high-speed communications and data-processing technology which exploits the bandwidth, immunity to electromagnetic interference, and connectivity of optical inter-connects. In order to realize this vision, it will be necessary to design, fabricate, and integrate high-performance electrical and optical devices in monolithic optoelectronic integrated circuits, OElC’s. The research programs of the CCSM are focused on the development of the engineering science and technology base for fabrication of OEIC’s and their application in optical interconnect systems; the education of engineers in this field; and effective transfer of this technology to industry. The Center addresses the barriers to progress in integration technology that are delineated by our research in materials, processing, devices, subsystems design, and testing. Potential solutions to these problems define the characteristics of OEIC chips whose fabrication will test the proposed integration technology. Chip-level OEIC subsystems are conceptualized, designed, simulated, fabricated, and tested in a re-search program that is organized into four thrusts: systems design and analysis, transmitters/waveguides/modulators, optoelectronic integrated receivers, and supporting technologies. The Center’s optical interconnect testbed projects address the systems issues involved in integration at higher levels and foster interdisciplinary interactions among the research thrusts.