Silicon-on-Insulator (SOI) optical devices may include an active surface layer that includes waveguides, optical modulators, detectors, CMOS circuitry, metal leads for interfacing with external semiconductor chips, and the like. Although crystalline silicon is excellent at forming waveguides with submicron dimensions, silicon is a poor material for both generating and absorbing light at wavelengths used for digital communication. While III-V semiconductors are better suitable for forming optical sources, these materials have a lattice constant that is much different than crystalline silicon which means these semiconductors cannot be directly grown on silicon using typical CMOS fabrication techniques without defects.
To facilitate understanding, identical reference numerals have been used, where possible, to designate identical elements that are common to the figures. It is contemplated that elements disclosed in one embodiment may be beneficially utilized on other embodiments without specific recitation.