III-V SEMICONDUCTOR GROWTH TECHNIQUES FOR PHOTONIC DEVICES.

The epitaxial growth of III-V semiconductors, often in complex multilayer structures, is central to the fabrication of modern photonic devices. Following an introduction concerned with the selection of III-V materials for specific applications, established epitaxial growth technologies will be surveyed. One technique, molecular beam epitaxy (MBE), will then be examined in detail with particular emphasis on its role in the growth of the III-V semiconductor compounds and alloys for opto-electronics in the 0. 7-1. 7 mu m wavelength range. An assessment of the materials and structures which are likely to be exploited in future photonic devices will be made, dealing in particular with multiple quantum well (MQW) devices and operation at wavelengths up to and beyond 1. 7 mu m.