MODULATOR-DRIVER CIRCUITS FOR OPTOELECTRONIC VLSI

Driver circuits are designed and tested in CMOS for use with normal-in cidence multiple quantum-well (MQW) optical modulators that are hip-ch ip bonded in large numbers to VLSI, These circuits provide higher driv e voltages than the standard CMOS supply, and thereby ease some of the pressures on the design and operation of the MQW modulator as CMOS su pply voltages are reduced. Two circuits use positive feedback to drive an MQW device through voltages exceeding the available logic voltage while another novel circuit stacks inverters and provides double the s upply voltage to drive the modulator, Operation to 1 Gb/s is demonstra ted, Circuits are normally off, consistent with the demands of a low-d issipation smart-pixel technology.