The Epitaxial Liftoff (ELO) Packaging Process for integration of optoelectronic devices onto silicon-based circuitry allows for optimized device performance of dissimilar materials, such as CMOS and III-V laser systems, since the liftoff optoelectronic device structure is grown on its native substrate. In comparison, other proposed techniques, such as wafer bonding and direct grown of crystalline epitaxial multilayers on a dissimilar lattice constant substrate, have very challenging problems with large dislocation densities and thermal stresses. The liftoff optoelectronic and the silicon electronic devices can be processed separately prior to bonding, in a fashion not constrained by the presence of the other. This technique is particularly attractive for low cost, high yield, high reliability, and high performance integrated optical interconnects. Integrating the ELO laser structures on top of CMOS integrated circuits will enable cost-effective and space saving packaging optical interconnection for high data rate communication. The optical interconnects will reduce planar metal interconnects and input/output bottlenecks, thereby, increasing overall processing speed and reducing packaging dimensions significantly. In addition, optical interconnects also reduce electromagnetic interference (EMI) due to conventional metal interconnect and wire bonds. Integrating the ELO laser structures on top of CMOS integrated circuits will enable cost-effective and space saving packaging optical interconnection for high data rate communication.
