Integrated VCL/PIN arrays for optical computing applications

High speed, dense arrays of vertical cavity lasers (VCLs) and detectors are at the core of many optically-interconnected computers and optical processors. In both applications, desired VCL properties include low threshold current and voltage, high single-mode power, high contrast and excellent array uniformity; desired detector characteristics include high speed and responsivity. In this paper, we present a general purpose optical interconnect device for optical computing applications. The device is comprised of a monolithically integrated vertical-cavity laser (VCL) and PIN photodiode array.