Electro-optic device

Claim 2

An electro-optic device having: a first part including an opto-electronic hereto-structure fabricated using opto-electronic technology based on group III-V compounds; and a second part fabricated separately from said first part using integrated circuit technology based on a semiconductor selected from the group consisting of group IV elements and group III-V compounds, said second part including a reflective pad; said first part being bonded onto said reflective pad such that the pad completely covers the opto-electronic hetero-structure to form said device.

Claim 3

An electro-optic device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said means for reflecting light comprises a pad.

Claim 4

An electro-optic device as claimed in claim 2, said second part further including a circuit substrate having said pad disposed thereon.

Claim 5

An electro-optic device as claimed in claim 2, said second part further including an integrated circuit which includes said pad.

Claim 6

An electro-optic device as claimed in claim 2, 3 or 4 wherein said hetero-structure is mounted on said pad.

Claim 7

An electro-optic device as claimed in claim 5, wherein said pad is metallic.

Claim 8

An electro-optic device as claimed in claim 6, wherein said hereto-structure includes an electric contact which is electrically connected to said second part.

Claim 9

An electro-optic device as claimed in claim 7, wherein said first part includes an n-type AlGaAs layer, a p-type AlGaAs layer, and a plurality of quantum well absorption layers disposed therebetween, and said p-type layer is bonded to said pad.

Claim 10

An electro-optic device as claimed in claim 8, wherein said pad is formed from gold.

Claim 11

An electro-optic device as claimed in claim 8, wherein a quarter wave stack of AlGaAs layers is disposed between said n-type layer and said quantum well absorption layers.

Claim 12

An electro-optic device as claimed in claim 10, wherein a heavily doped layer of GaAs is disposed between said pad and said p-type layer, and between said n-type layer and said electric contact.

Claim 13

An electro-optic array having a plurality of first parts, each first part including an opto-electronic hetero-structure fabricated using opto-electronic technology based on group III-V compounds, and a second part fabricated separately from said first part using integrated circuit technology based on a semiconductor selected from the group consisting of group IV elements and group III-V compounds, said second part including a plurality of means for reflecting light, and each first part is bonded onto a respective one of said reflective pads such that the reflective pad completely covers the first part.

Claim 14

An electro-optic array having a plurality of first parts, each first part including an opto-electronic hetero-structure fabricated using opto-electronic technology based on group III-V compounds, and a second part fabricated separately from said first part using integrated circuit technology based on a semiconductor selected from the group consisting of group IV elements and group III-V compounds, said second part including a plurality of means for reflecting light, and each first part is bonded onto a respective one of said reflective pads such that the reflective pad completely covers the first part.

Claim 15

An electro-optic array as claimed in claim 12, wherein said plurality of first parts form an array on a substrate.

Claim 16

An electro-optic device for accepting and emitting a light beam along a light path, comprising: an opto-electronic hetero-structure part, fabricated using opto-electronic technology based on group III-V compounds, said opto-electronic hereto-structure Bart including a p-type layer, a series of quantum well absorption layers formed on said p-type layer and which are transverse to said light path, and an n-type layer formed on said quantum well layers, said light path passing through said n-type layer, said quantum well layers and said p-type layer, said n-type layer having an outer surface forming a window surface transverse to said light path, said p-type layer having an outer surface, forming a substantially flat contact surface transverse to said light path; and an integrated circuit part, fabricated separately from said opto-electronic hetero-structure part, using integrated circuit technology based on a semiconductor selected from the group consisting of group IV elements and group III-V compounds, said integrated circuit part including a conductive pad, said conductive pad having a first surface in electrical contact with a portion of said integrated circuit, and a second surface bonded to and completely covering said contact surface such that said second surface provides electrical contact with said p-type layer and forms a substantially flat reflecting surface transverse to said light path.

Claim 17

An electro-optic device for accepting and emitting a light beam along a light path, comprising: an opto-electronic hetero-structure part, fabricated using opto-electronic technology based on group III-V compounds, said opto-electronic hereto-structure Bart including a p-type layer, a series of quantum well absorption layers formed on said p-type layer and which are transverse to said light path, and an n-type layer formed on said quantum well layers, said light path passing through said n-type layer, said quantum well layers and said p-type layer, said n-type layer having an outer surface forming a window surface transverse to said light path, said p-type layer having an outer surface, forming a substantially flat contact surface transverse to said light path; and an integrated circuit part, fabricated separately from said opto-electronic hetero-structure part, using integrated circuit technology based on a semiconductor selected from the group consisting of group IV elements and group III-V compounds, said integrated circuit part including a conductive pad, said conductive pad having a first surface in electrical contact with a portion of said integrated circuit, and a second surface bonded to and completely covering said contact surface such that said second surface provides electrical contact with said p-type layer and forms a substantially flat reflecting surface transverse to said light path.

Claim 18

An electro-optic device as claimed in claim 14, wherein said second surface covers said contact surface.

Claim 19

An electro-optic device as claimed in claim 15, further comprising an electrical conductor connecting a node of said integrated circuit to said n-type layer.

Claim 20

An electro-optic array having a plurality of opto-electronic hetero-structure parts, each opto-electronic hetero-structure part including an opto-electronic hereto-structure for accepting a light beam along a light path, each said opto-electronic hetero-structure part fabricated using opto-electronic technology based on group III-V compounds, and including a p-type layer, a series of quantum well absorption layers transverse to said light path, formed on said p-type layer, and an n-type layer formed on said quantum well layers, said light path passing through said n-type layer, said quantum well layers and said p-type layer, said n-type layer having an outer surface forming a window surface transverse to said light path, and said p-type layer having an outer surface, forming a substantially flat contact surface transverse to said light path; and an integrated circuit part, fabricated separately from said opto-electronic hetero-structure parts, using integrated circuit technology based on a semiconductor selected from the group consisting of group IV elements and group III-V compounds, and including a plurality of conductive pads, each conductive pad having a first surface in electrical contact with a portion of said integrated circuit, and a second surface bonded onto and completely covering the contact surface of a respective opto-electronic hetero-structure part such that said second surface provides electrical contact with the p-type layer of said respective opto-electronic hetero-structure part and forms a substantially flat reflecting surface transverse to the light path of said respective opto-electronic hetero-structure part.

Claim 21

An electro-optic array having a plurality of opto-electronic hetero-structure parts, each opto-electronic hetero-structure part including an opto-electronic hereto-structure for accepting a light beam along a light path, each said opto-electronic hetero-structure part fabricated using opto-electronic technology based on group III-V compounds, and including a p-type layer, a series of quantum well absorption layers transverse to said light path, formed on said p-type layer, and an n-type layer formed on said quantum well layers, said light path passing through said n-type layer, said quantum well layers and said p-type layer, said n-type layer having an outer surface forming a window surface transverse to said light path, and said p-type layer having an outer surface, forming a substantially flat contact surface transverse to said light path; and an integrated circuit part, fabricated separately from said opto-electronic hetero-structure parts, using integrated circuit technology based on a semiconductor selected from the group consisting of group IV elements and group III-V compounds, and including a plurality of conductive pads, each conductive pad having a first surface in electrical contact with a portion of said integrated circuit, and a second surface bonded onto and completely covering the contact surface of a respective opto-electronic hetero-structure part such that said second surface provides electrical contact with the p-type layer of said respective opto-electronic hetero-structure part and forms a substantially flat reflecting surface transverse to the light path of said respective opto-electronic hetero-structure part.

Claim 22

An electro-optic array as claimed in claim 17, wherein said plurality of optoelectronic hetero-structure parts form an array on said integrated circuit part.

Claim 23

An electro-optic device as claimed in claim 8, wherein said pad is formed from silver.

Claim 24

An electro-optic device as claimed in claim 8, wherein said pad is formed from aluminum.