Integrated Optoelectronics:
From Quantum Wells to Optical Systems

Prof. Kambiz Alavi

Department of Electrical Engineering

The University o f Texas at Arlington

Abstract

Integrated optoelectronics based on III-V compound epitaxial heterostructures is an enabling technology for a number of important systems applications. Among which are:

1) IR imaging (medical, astronomy, military, industrial, forensic)

2) Optical signal processing (beam steering, optical correlation, modulating retroreflectors, nonlinear optics, parallel optical computing)

In this talk we present the physics, technology, and applications of two classes of integrated optoelectronics device arrays and systems based on III-V compound epitaxial heterostructures with the above applications in mind:

1) IR focal arrays based on Quantum Well Infrared Photodetectors (QWIPs).

2) Spatial Light Modulators (SLM) based on Quantum Confined Stark Effect Electroabsorption.

These device arrays combine the optimal combination of physics (quantum wells and resonant cavity enhancement design and analysis) materials technology (molecular beam epitaxy, photolithography, Reactive Ion etching) and systems integration (VLSI electronics, Optical Systems).

Professor ALAVI BIO

Kambiz Alavi received his education in Physics at M.I.T (SB, SM, PhD 1981) doing research in nonlinear optics, and magneto-optical spectroscopy of compound semiconductors.

From 1981-1983 he was a postdoctoral member of technical staff at AT&T Bell Laboratories in the Solid Stated Research Lab doing research in molecular beam epitaxy and optoelectronic device.

In 1983 he joined Siemens Research and technology Laboratory to establish an MBE Laboratory and help create electronic and optoelectronic program, and was instrumental in technology transfer to Siemens R&D headquarters in Munich.

In 1988 he joined the University of Texas at Arlington as an Associate Professor and in 1994 was promoted to Professor. In 1995-1997 he was the Director of CEMDAS (an NSF I/UCRC). In summer 1997 he was an NSF Faculty Researcher at Texas Instruments (later Raytheon/TI Systems).

During 2001-2003 he was a Department Manger at BAE Systems (Nashua, NH) in the Integrated Optoelectronics Group in the Advanced Systems and Technology Division, on leave of absence from UTA. He resumed his faculty duties at UTA since the beginning of 2003-2004 academic year.

Professor Alavi holds two US patents, and one pending in III-V Optoelectronic devices:

•Kambiz Alavi, Alfred Y. Cho, Thomas P. Pearsall, and Henryk Temkin, "Multi-Quantum Well Lasers Emitting at 1.5 µm," US Patent 4,599,728, issued July 8, 1986.

•Kambiz Alavi, Fredrick E. Koch, Joseph Pellegrino, “Quantum Dot Infrared Photodector Focal Plane Arrays,” US Patent 6,906,326 B2, issued June 14, 2005.

•Kambiz Alavi, Fredrick E. Koch, Patrick Maloney, Joseph Pellegrino, “Resonant Cavity Enhanced Multi-Quantum Well Light Modulator and Detector,” Patent filed by BAE SYSTEMS