Method of fabrication of a monolithic integrated optical circuit

A method of fabricating a three dimensional integrated optical circuit having two dimensional confinement comprising the steps of:

• fabricating a continuous patterned opening in a mask on a planar surface of a semiconductor substrate defining open areas for the fabrication therethrough of active and passive electro-optic devices and interconnecting waveguide structure;
• depositing a first continuous semiconductor layer having a first index of refraction onto said planar surface through said patterned opening;
• depositing a second continuous semiconductor layer having a second index of refraction higher than said first index onto said first semiconductor layer, said second layer defining a light propagating layer;
• fabricating a light emitting device on at least one of the above listed members in such a relationship to the waveguide structure so as to transmit light thereto;
• depositing contact means upon the opposite parallel face to said planar surface of said semiconductor substrate and upon a portion of said light emitting device;
• and
• depositing metal patterns on top of said second semiconductor layer in the fabrication of said electro-optic devices.

A method of fabricating a three dimensional integrated optical circuit by liquid phase epitaxy have two dimensional confinement comprising the steps of:

• depositing a mask onto the planar surface of a Group III-V semiconductor substrate;
• removing a portion of said mask to form a continuous pattern opening therein defined by open areas for the location of active and passive electro-optic devices to be fabricated on said substrate including interconnecting waveguide structure;
• growing a first continuous semiconductor layer of Ga.sub.1-x Al.sub.x As having a first index of refraction onto said planar surface through said pattern openings;
• growing a second continuous semiconductor layer of Ga.sub.1-y Al.sub.y As on top of said first layer, said second layer having an index of refraction higher than said first layer, said second layer defining a light propagation layer;
• fabricating a laser light emitting device on at least one of the above listed members in such a relationship to the waveguide structure so as to transmit light thereto,
• metallizing contact means upon the opposite parallel face to said planar surface of said semiconductor substrate and upon a portion of said light emitting device;
• and
• depositing metal patterns on top of said second semiconductor layer in the fabrication of said electro-optic devices.