Introduction of InP high speed electronics into optical fiber transmissionsystems and current technological limits

InP microelectronics is emerging as a technology well-suited for the optoel ectronic transmitters and receivers to be used in optical transmission syst ems operating at 40 Gbit/s per channel and above. In such applications very hi.-h-speed transistors are required for the digital parts, while output v oltages of a few Volts are needed to drive electrooptic modulators. InP is bringing performances in cut-off frequencies and output voltage which SiGe and GaAs cannot offer. Record cut-off frequencies (> 300 GHz) have been rep orted for both High Electron Mobility Transistors (HEMTs) and Heterojunctio n Bipolar Transistors (HBTs), and ICs operating well over 40 Gbit/s have be en demonstrated. Still material and processing issues have to be solved to fully exploit the potential of InP and related compounds. (C) 2001 Publishe d by Elsevier Science Ltd.