Lasers and photodetectors for high-speed monolithic optoelectronics

High speed monolithic optoelectronic integrated circuits (OEICs) promise to bring the high performance of optical systems to a practical price point. This dissertation describes the study of a photodetector and a laser especially well suited for OEICs.; The photodetector is a waveguide metal-semiconductor-metal design optimized for monolithic integration with high speed transistors. The waveguide shape was quantitatively analyzed to provide 50 GHz bandwidth and 90% internal quantum efficiency. A fabrication process was developed that featured self aligned quantum well disordering and self aligned electrode metallization.; The laser is a waveguide device with a triangular ring cavity which has been shown to have superior DC and low frequency characteristics in a highly manufacturable package. This work examines the modulation response of these lasers, with particular emphasis on aspects of the dynamic properties which are unique to the ring cavity structure. Relative intensity noise spectra and direct modulation spectra were measured to study the modulation properties. Both the ring lasers and standard fabry-perot lasers fabricated on the same chip were found to have modulation bandwidths determined by the differential gain and cavity length in the same way. The differential gain was completely predicted by the threshold current, and variations in the differential gain overwhelmed the relatively weak photon lifetime dependence of the modulation K-factor. The parasitic capacitance of the large contact pad filling the center of the ring structure was measured and found to be slightly smaller than the intrinsic diode junction capacitance. Ring lasers with 600 {dollar}mu{dollar}m cavity lengths had direct modulation bandwidths of 8-10 GHz at 100 mA, and were limited by catastrophic failure above 100 mA. The ring structure is shown to have the potential for reduced power consumption at moderate bandwidths (10GHz).; Highly unusual double peaked noise spectra were observed in the ring lasers. The cause of the second peak is proposed to be distant side modes near threshold. The distant side modes were encouraged by a coupled cavity effect caused by rough turning mirrors. Also, substantial low frequency noise was observed and attributed to uncompensated mode partition noise between the counterpropagating modes.