Hybrid SEED-massively parallel optical interconnections for silicon ICs

Diodes containing quantum well semiconductor structures can operate both as optical reflection modulators and optical detectors. They can be bonded in two dimensional arrays to silicon electronic circuits, and allow high speed, high density, low power optical input/output. This emerging technology may enable new classes of opto electronic systems that can take advantage of many previously unexploited features of optics for interconnection, and offers a new opportunity to relieve the growing problems of wiring in high performance electronic systems.