This one-year research effort builds on past advances in the molecular beam epitaxy of GaA1As heterostructures on Si achieved under previous NSF support. It will concentrate on improving the performance of the cw laser diodes on silicon by incorporating compressive strain in the quantum well active regions, improving material quality, and reducing residual "bulk" layer strains. The collaboration with Professor Carl Thompson in the Department of Materials Science and Engineering on the initial stages of nucleation and on the development of improved growth techniques will be continued. Preliminary work on selective area epitaxy will be conducted, and an active collaboration with colleagues in the silicon-oriented MIT Microsystems Technology Laboratory will be established to develop a growth sequence which is compatible with their BICMOS process.
