Modulator-driver circuits for optoelectronic VLSI

Author

Woodward, T.K. ; Krishnamoorthy, A.V. ; Goossen, K.W. ; Walker, J.A. ; Tseng, B. ; Lothian, J. ; Hui, S. ; Leibenguth, R.

Author_Institution

Lucent Technol., AT&T Bell Labs., Holmdel, NJ, USA

Volume

9

Issue

6

fYear

1997

fDate

6/1/1997 12:00:00 AM

Firstpage

839

Lastpage

841

Abstract

Driver circuits are designed and tested in CMOS for use with normal-incidence multiple-quantum-well (MQW) optical modulators that are flip-chip bonded in large numbers to VLSI. These circuits provide higher drive voltages than the standard CMOS supply, and thereby ease some of the pressures on the design and operation of the MQW modulator as CMOS supply voltages are reduced. Two circuits use positive feedback to drive an MQW device through voltages exceeding the available logic voltage while another novel circuit stacks inverters and provides double the supply voltage to drive the modulator. Operation to 1 Gb/s is demonstrated. Circuits are normally off, consistent with the demands of a low-dissipation smart-pixel technology.

Keywords

CMOS integrated circuits; VLSI; driver circuits; electro-optical modulation; flip-chip devices; integrated optoelectronics; optical communication equipment; semiconductor quantum wells; smart pixels; CMOS; CMOS supply voltages; MQW optical modulators; VLSI; circuit stacks inverters; flip-chip bonded; higher drive voltages; logic voltage; low-dissipation smart-pixel technology; modulator-driver circuits; normal-incidence multiple-quantum-well optical modulators; optoelectronic VLSI; positive feedback; supply voltage; Bonding; Circuit testing; Driver circuits; Feedback circuits; Optical design; Optical feedback; Optical modulation; Quantum well devices; Very large scale integration; Voltage;

fLanguage

English

Journal_Title

Photonics Technology Letters, IEEE

Publisher

ieee

ISSN

1041-1135

Type

jour

DOI

10.1109/68.585008

Filename

585008