Evolution of the SEED technology: bistable logic gates to optoelectronic smart pixels

The recent evolution of quantum-well self-electrooptic effect devices (SEEDs) for application in free-space optical switching and computing systems is reviewed. Requirements of these systems have stimulated the development of devices usable in large systems of cascaded devices (the symmetric SEED), large two-dimensional arrays of these devices with improved physical performance, logically smarter extensions of these devices (logic-SEEDs), and devices integrating electronic transistors with quantum-well modulators and detectors for both reducing the required optical energies and increasing functionality. This progress and its implications for future developments are summarized.>