GAP Technologies, Inc.

Consulting and Prototyping

Consulting and prototyping services provided by GAP Technologies focuses on three areas: (1) optoelectronic devices, (2) heterogeneous integration, and (3) optical communications systems. In the first area, optoelectronic devices, the services include the design, fabrication, and characterization of light emitters and photodetectors. The light emitters consist of surface emitters such as vertical cavity surface emitting lasers (VCSELs) and surface emitting LEDs and other devices include tunable fiber lasers. GAP Technologies provide expert service in design and fabrication of PIN photodiodes and metal-semiconductor-metal photodetectors. In addition to light emitters and photodetectors, solar cell design and fabrication services are provided.

Beyond the design, fabrication, and characterization of optoelectronic devices is the integration of these devices with each other and circuitry. GAP Technologies provides expert consulting and prototyping services in monolithic and heterogeneous integration process flow design and implementation. Methods and processes are developed and implemented to demonstrate integration of optoelectronic devices with different structures, shapes, sizes, and materials. The desired devices can be designed and fabricated with one material (monolithic) or with multiple materials grown separately, removed from their growth substrates and integrated onto host substrates. The host substrates can be a variety of materials conducive for particular applications. The host substrates can also be customized circuits. Most of the materials used for the optoelectronic devices are III-V semiconductors such as gallium arsenide (GaAs), indium gallium arsenide (InGaAs), and indium phosphide (InP). However, organics devices for photodetection and light emission can be used. The integration of devices is important for many applications such optical sensing and single fiber optical communications.

The optical communications systems area of GAP Technologies consulting and prototyping services focuses on different type of arrangements for providing single fiber bi-directional communications for fiber-to-the-premise (FTTP) and military and aerospace optical links. The goal is to provide a cost effective approach for various optical communications applications. Broadband Services

While a hugh amount of optical fiber has been laid all over the globe, which has brought us into the information age. In America most of the cable laid in our communities tend to stop at the curb or the last mile. This has created a bottleneck for future applications such as two way video conferencing and real video on demand. In some communities the optical fiber has stopped much further than a mile from the home and thus created a hugh GAP in the broadband capabilities between the have and have nots. To provide broadband services to the masses, GAP Technologies is committed to managing the installation and delivery fiber optic and wireless technology to their communities.

Optical Transceivers

As the demand for FTTP continue to increase, there will be an increasing demand for affordable optical network units (ONUs). The main component of ONUs is the optoelectronic transceiver, and the cost of the ONU is critical. One approach to affordable ONUs is single fiber bi-directional communications. There are several different approaches to making an optical transceiver for single fiber bi-directional communications. GAP Technologies uses a heterogeneous integration method to stack two independently grown and customized thin film devices onto SiO2- coated silicon and a silicon CMOS transceiver circuit to form a 3D integrated optical transceiver.

Optical Power/Data Transceivers

Just as with most electronic devices, power is provided by means of a battery or a plug connected to a dedicated electrical outlet. However, a growing interest is in powering electronic devices by using optical power. Optical power is transmitted during normal data communication, but not nearly enough to power even low powered devices. A separate higher power transmitter is needed in conjunction with the data transmitter just to provide power to the devices. On the receiving end, a detector and a power (Photovoltaic) cell is needed. In addition, for bidirectional communication, a transmitter is also needed. Traditionally speaking, multiple optical fibers are needed to functionalize this network. Using a heterogeneous integration approach, photonic integrated circuits that are customizable and arranged in a vertical format with photonic devices integrated directly onto silicon CMOS circuits can be designed and fabricated to produce a system that only requires a single fiber to transport data and power. The GAP Technologies integration approach seeks to develop devices that require minimum optical components.

JDSU is the only competitor. Their system requires two fibers instead of a single optical fiber.