BLAST: A Wafer-scale Transfer Process for Heterogeneous Integration of Optics and Electronics

TL;DR

The paper introduces BLAST, a wafer-scale transfer process enabling precise, high-yield heterogeneous integration of diverse photonic and electronic materials onto a single substrate for advanced optoelectronic systems.

Contribution

BLAST is a novel, scalable transfer method that allows integration of various photonic and electronic devices with high precision and compatibility with lithography.

Findings

Successfully integrated GaAs and GaN microLEDs with silicon photovoltaics.

Demonstrated optical wireless circuits with photon up-conversion.

Applicable to diverse devices like CMOS, VCSELs, and 2D materials.

Abstract

We present a general transfer method for the heterogeneous integration of different photonic and electronic materials systems and devices onto a single substrate. Called BLAST, for Bond, Lift, Align, and Slide Transfer, the process works at wafer scale and offers precision alignment, high yield, varying topographies, and suitability for subsequent lithographic processing. We demonstrate BLAST's capabilities by integrating both GaAs and GaN microLEDs with silicon photovoltaics to fabricate optical wireless integrated circuits that up-convert photons from the red to the blue. We also show that BLAST can be applied to a variety of other devices and substrates, including CMOS electronics, vertical cavity surface emitting lasers (VCSELs), and 2D materials. BLAST further enables the modularization of optoelectronic microsystems, where optical devices fabricated on one material substrate can be lithographically integrated with electronic devices on a different substrate in a scalable process.