Surface optical device apparatus, method of fabricating the same, and apparatus using the same

An optoelectronic multi-chip module comprising:

• a surface optical device, said surface optical device including a functional layer grown on a first substrate, which acts as a supporting substrate for fabricating said functional layer thereon, with said first substrate being substantially thinned or removed, and a first electrode formed on at least one of surfaces of said functional layer, said surface optical device performing light emission or light reception along a direction approximately perpendicular to said first substrate, and said first electrode having the functionality to electrically control the light emission or reception;
• a second substrate, said second substrate including a second electrode formed thereon, and said surface optical device being bonded to said second substrate with said first electrode and said second electrode being in electrical contact with each other;
• and
• an integrated circuit for driving and controlling said surface optical device, said integrated circuit being provided on said second substrate, and being electrically connected to said surface optical device through said second electrode.

An optical wiring device comprising:

• a surface optical device, said surface optical device including a functional layer grown on a first substrate, which acts as a supporting substrate for fabricating said functional layer thereon, with said first substrate being substantially thinned or removed, and a first electrode formed on at least one of surfaces of said functional layer, said surface optical device performing light emission or light reception along a direction approximately perpendicular to said first substrate, and said first electrode having the functionality to electrically control the light emission or reception;
• a second substrate, said second substrate including a second electrode formed thereon, and said surface optical device being bonded to said second substrate with said first electrode and said second electrode being in electrical contact with each other;
• an integrated circuit for driving and controlling said surface optical device, said integrated circuit being provided on said second substrate, and electrically connected to said surface optical device through said second electrode;
• and
• an optical waveguide medium, said optical waveguide medium being fixed to the surface of said surface optical device to perform optical transmission and reception through said optical waveguide medium.

A multi-layer optoelectronic multi-chip module comprising:

• (a) a plurality of optoelectronic multi-chip modules, each said optoelectric multi-chip module including:
• a surface optical device, said surface optical device including a functional layer grown on a first substrate, which acts as a supporting substrate for fabricating said functional layer thereon, with said first substrate being substantially thinned or removed, a first electrode formed on at least one of the surfaces of said functional layer, said surface optical device performing light emission or light reception along a direction approximately perpendicular to said first substrate, and said first electrode having the functionality to electrically control the light emission or reception;
• and
• an integrated circuit for driving and controlling said surface optical device, said integrated circuit being provided in the same plane as the plane in which said surface optical device is provided and being electrically connected to said surface optical device through said first electrode;
• and
• (b) an inter-layer insulating layer, said insulating layer being flattened and provided between said optoelectronic multi-chip modules, such that the transmission and reception of an optical signal can be performed between said optoelectronic multi-chip modules.

A multi-layer optoelectronic multi-chip module comprising:

• (a) a plurality of optoelectronic multi-chip modules, each said optoelectric multi-chip module including:
• a surface optical device, said surface optical device a surface optical device, said surface optical device including a functional layer grown on a first substrate, which acts as a supporting substrate for fabricating said functional layer thereon, with said first substrate being substantially thinned or removed, a first electrode formed on at least one of the surfaces of said functional layer, said surface optical device performing light emission or light reception along a direction approximately perpendicular to said first substrate, and said first electrode having the functionality to electrically control the light emission or reception;
• a second substrate of an insulating thin film, said second substrate including a second electrode formed thereon, and said surface optical device being bonded to said second substrate, with said first electrode and said second electrode being in electrical contact with each other;
• and
• an integrated circuit for driving and controlling said surface optical device, said integrated circuit being provided on said second substrate, and electrically connected to said surface optical device through said second electrode;
• and
• (b) an inter-layer insulating layer, said insulating layer being provided between said optoelectronic multi-chip modules, such that transmission and reception of an optical signal can be performed between said optoelectronic multi-chip modules.

An optical recording apparatus comprising:

• (a) an optoelectronic multi-chip module as a light source, said optoelectric multi-chip module including:
• a plurality of surface emitting lasers, each said surface emitting laser including a functional layer grown on a first substrate, which acts as a supporting substrate for fabricating said functional layer thereon, with said first substrate being substantially thinned or removed, a first electrode formed on at least one of surfaces of said functional layer, said surface emitting laser performing light emission along a direction approximately perpendicular to said first substrate, and said first electrode having the functionality to electrically control the light emission;
• a second substrate, said second substrate including a second electrode formed thereon, and said surface optical device being bonded to said second substrate, with said first electrode and said second electrode being in electrical contact with each other;
• and
• an integrated circuit for driving and controlling said surface emitting laser, said integrated circuit being provided on said second substrate, and electrically connected to said surface emitting laser through said second electrode;
• and
• (b) control means for controlling said light source to perform recording on an optical recording medium with a plurality of laser beams from said light source.

A method of fabricating a surface optical device apparatus, said method comprising the steps of:

• (a) forming a functional layer of the surface optical device on a first substrate;
• (b) processing the shape and a first electrode of the surface optical device;
• (c) forming a second electrode on a second substrate;
• (d) bonding the surface optical device to the second substrate with the first electrode being aligned with the second electrode;
• and
• (e) removing or thinning the first substrate such that substantially only the functional layer is transferred to the second substrate.

A method of fabricating a surface optical device apparatus, said method comprising the steps of:

• (a) forming a functional layer of the surface optical device on a first substrate;
• (b) processing the shape of the surface optical device;
• (c) forming separation grooves to remove the functional layer between a plurality of the surface optical devices to separate the surface optical devices from each other;
• (d) forming a first electrode of the surface optical device;
• (e) forming a second electrode on a second substrate;
• (f) bonding the surface optical devices to the second substrate with the first electrode being aligned with the second electrode;
• (g) removing or thinning the first substrate such that substantially only the functional layer is transferred to the second substrate;
• (h) forming a third electrode on the transferred functional layer;
• (i) forming an insulating layer on the transferred functional layer;
• (j) forming a first hole for establishing an electrode contact and a second hole for transmitting light in the insulating layer;
• and
• (k) forming electrical wiring, which is electrically connected to the third electrode through the first hole, on the insulating layer and the second substrate.

A method of fabricating a surface optical device apparatus, said method comprising the steps of:

• (a) forming a functional layer of the surface optical device on a first substrate;
• (b) processing the shape of the surface optical device;
• (c) forming separation grooves to remove the functional layer between, a plurality of the surface optical devices to separate the surface optical devices from each other;
• (d) forming a first electrode of the surface optical device;
• (e) bonding a surface of the functional layer to a third substrate;
• (f) removing or thinning the first substrate such that substantially only the functional layer is left;
• (g) forming a third electrode on an exposed surface of the functional layer;
• (h) forming a second electrode on a second substrate;
• (i) bonding the surface optical devices to the second substrate with the third electrode being aligned with the second electrode;
• (j) removing the third substrate such that substantially only the functional layer is transferred to the second substrate;
• (k) forming an insulating layer on the transferred functional layer;
• (l) forming a first hole for establishing an electrode contact and a second hole for transmitting light in the insulating layer;
• and
• (m) forming electrical wiring, electrically connected to the third electrode through the first hole, on the insulating layer and the second substrate.

A method of fabricating a plurality of optoelectronic multi-chip-modules in a collective manner, said method comprising the steps of:

• (a) forming a functional layer of the surface optical device on a first substrate;
• (b) forming a plurality of electrodes on a plurality of respective areas of a second substrate;
• (c) bonding at least a surface optical device, which is cut out of the first substrate with the functional layer of the surface optical device, to each respective area of the second substrate;
• (d) collectively removing or thinning the first substrate on the second substrate such that substantially only the functional layer remains on each area of the second substrate;
• (e) forming electrical wiring on each respective area of the second substrate;
• (f) implementing an integrated circuit on each respective area of the second substrate;
• and
• (g) dicing the second substrate such that the respective areas of the second substrate are separated from each other.