Prof. Choquette’s Research Statement
My research group is involved in the study of semiconductor photonic and optoelectronic device physics, fabrication technologies, and systems with a strong emphasis on vertical cavity surface emitting lasers (VCSELs). Photonic devices are key components for the infrastructure of the Information Age. Active devices, such as VCSELs, are the foundation for short and soon medium length optical fiber based interconnect applications. Currently, I have research efforts to develop new VCSEL devices, such as composite resonator VCSELs and vertical cavity photonic integrated circuits, as well as to establish new VCSEL applications, such as 2-dimensional source and receiver arrays for high aggregate rate interconnects. We are also involved with new compound semiconductor processing technologies, such as selective oxidation and heterogeneous integration techniques. Finally, we are pursuing the next generation of photonic devices, such as photonic crystal waveguides and cavities, to enable further optical communication advances.
Examples of photonic crystal laser structures fabricated at the University of Illinois.