Most semiconductor light emitting devices are fabricated using expensive compound semiconductors such as gallium arsenide and indium phosphide. Compound semiconductors tend to be expensive, difficult to manufacture, brittle and difficult to integrate with conventional silicon semiconductor devices due to crystal lattice mismatches. Researchers have for years attempted to create light on silicon substrates but have been unable to do so. One recent approach has been to add a layer of material between silicon substrate and the compound semiconductor material to resolve the crystalline mismatch silicon and compound material. This approach is still expensive and requires the deposition and use of a compound semiconductor material. While allowing for the integration of logic and light emitting components, this approach is difficult to fabricate. Therefore a need continues to exist for a high speed, light emitting device that can be cheaply and easily fabricated on a silicon or even less expensive substrates.
USPTO Backgrounds
USPTO Backgrounds