ABSTRACT
The fundamental design architecture for electrical integrated circuits consists of devices arranged on a planar semiconductor substrate that are connected by metallization traces for in-plane communication and vias for interconnecting multiple planes. Along these lines, planar chip architectures have become the universal embodiment
for integrated circuit design and, as a result, have given rise to a standardization in microfabrication techniques. While there is currently a strong research effort in the semiconductor community to fi nd alternatives to the obstacles facing modern-day integrated circuits, semiconductor-based optical integrated circuits (OICs) provide a paradigm shift for next-generation integrated circuits. Replacing metallic wires with optical waveguides has revolutionized the telecommunication industry through the introduction of fi ber optic cables and has been long sought after as an alternative for electrical integrated circuits.
