Ge$_{0.98}$Sn$_{0.02}$/Si $p-i-n$ Heterostructure Photodiodes for Telecommunications Applications

ORAL

Abstract

In this study, $p-i-n$ heterostructure photodiodes were fabricated from Ge$_{0.98}$Sn$_{0.02}$ films grown directly on Si substrates using complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) compatible processes. The devices characterized with respect to their dark currents and their quantum efficiency in the near IR. The structures were grown on boron-doped (p-type) Si(100) with resistivity 0.01 $\Omega $cm. A 350nm thick layer of intrinsic Ge$_{0.98}$Sn$_{0.02}$ was deposited first as the active region, followed by 64nm of phosphorus-doped (n-type) Ge$_{0.98}$Sn$_{0.02}$. The current-voltage characteristics of the devices yielded distinctly diode-like behavior. The measured photoresponse yielded higher quantum efficiencies than comparable pure-Ge devices over a broader spectrum as a result of the lower direct band gap and broadening of the absorption edge due to alloying. The significant responsivity obtained at wavelengths as long as 1750 nm confirms the advantages of the GeSn approach for telecom applications.

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Authors

  • Jay Mathews

    Department of Physics, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, 85287-1504, USA

  • John Poate

    Brigham Young University, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Utah, USA, MV Systems, Inc., USA, Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin fuer Materialien und Energie, Abteilung Silizium-Photovoltaik, Germany, Colorado School of Mines, Department of Physics, USA, Georgia Institute of Technology, Arizona State University, Physics Department of Babolsar University, Iran, Physics Department, New Mexico State University, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, 85287-1604, USA, Department of Electrical Engineering, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, AR 72701, USA, Department of Physics, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, 85287-1504, USA, Colorado State University, University of Wisconsin, NSF ERC for Extreme Ultraviolet Science and Technology, Colorado State University, BYU-Provo, Michigan Technical University and Pierre Auger Collaboration, University of Colorado, Colorado School of Mines, Department of Physics, Colorado State University, Department of Physics, Cornell University, NASA, University of Massachusetts at Amherst, University of Massachusetss at Amherst, APS President, Harvard University, Society of Physics Students, Duke University, Computer Science, Brigham Young University, Chemistry \& Biochemistry, Brigham Young University, University of Arizona, University of Utah, Kansas State Univ., Bethel University, University of New Mexico, Stanford University, JILA, University of Colorado at Boulder, NIST, JILA, University of Colorado at Boulder, National Renewable Energy Laboratory, University of Denver, University of Colorado, Boulder, NREL, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, 85287- 1604, USA, DU, ERI, Eleanor Roosevelt Institute (ERI), Cerro Tololo Interamerican Observatory, Utah State University, Center for Atmospheric and Space Sciences, Sciprint.org, University of Colorado at Boulder, JILA and University of Colorado, Kirchhoff Institute for Physics, University of Heidelberg, Utah Valley University, University of New South Wales, San Francisco State University, Weber State University, Cambridge University, Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Utah, Kansas State University, Columbia University, NY, University of Colorado/JILA, Vice-President for Research and Technology Transfer, Colorado School of Mines

  • John Poate

    Brigham Young University, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Utah, USA, MV Systems, Inc., USA, Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin fuer Materialien und Energie, Abteilung Silizium-Photovoltaik, Germany, Colorado School of Mines, Department of Physics, USA, Georgia Institute of Technology, Arizona State University, Physics Department of Babolsar University, Iran, Physics Department, New Mexico State University, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, 85287-1604, USA, Department of Electrical Engineering, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, AR 72701, USA, Department of Physics, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, 85287-1504, USA, Colorado State University, University of Wisconsin, NSF ERC for Extreme Ultraviolet Science and Technology, Colorado State University, BYU-Provo, Michigan Technical University and Pierre Auger Collaboration, University of Colorado, Colorado School of Mines, Department of Physics, Colorado State University, Department of Physics, Cornell University, NASA, University of Massachusetts at Amherst, University of Massachusetss at Amherst, APS President, Harvard University, Society of Physics Students, Duke University, Computer Science, Brigham Young University, Chemistry \& Biochemistry, Brigham Young University, University of Arizona, University of Utah, Kansas State Univ., Bethel University, University of New Mexico, Stanford University, JILA, University of Colorado at Boulder, NIST, JILA, University of Colorado at Boulder, National Renewable Energy Laboratory, University of Denver, University of Colorado, Boulder, NREL, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, 85287- 1604, USA, DU, ERI, Eleanor Roosevelt Institute (ERI), Cerro Tololo Interamerican Observatory, Utah State University, Center for Atmospheric and Space Sciences, Sciprint.org, University of Colorado at Boulder, JILA and University of Colorado, Kirchhoff Institute for Physics, University of Heidelberg, Utah Valley University, University of New South Wales, San Francisco State University, Weber State University, Cambridge University, Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Utah, Kansas State University, Columbia University, NY, University of Colorado/JILA, Vice-President for Research and Technology Transfer, Colorado School of Mines

  • John Poate

    Brigham Young University, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Utah, USA, MV Systems, Inc., USA, Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin fuer Materialien und Energie, Abteilung Silizium-Photovoltaik, Germany, Colorado School of Mines, Department of Physics, USA, Georgia Institute of Technology, Arizona State University, Physics Department of Babolsar University, Iran, Physics Department, New Mexico State University, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, 85287-1604, USA, Department of Electrical Engineering, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, AR 72701, USA, Department of Physics, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, 85287-1504, USA, Colorado State University, University of Wisconsin, NSF ERC for Extreme Ultraviolet Science and Technology, Colorado State University, BYU-Provo, Michigan Technical University and Pierre Auger Collaboration, University of Colorado, Colorado School of Mines, Department of Physics, Colorado State University, Department of Physics, Cornell University, NASA, University of Massachusetts at Amherst, University of Massachusetss at Amherst, APS President, Harvard University, Society of Physics Students, Duke University, Computer Science, Brigham Young University, Chemistry \& Biochemistry, Brigham Young University, University of Arizona, University of Utah, Kansas State Univ., Bethel University, University of New Mexico, Stanford University, JILA, University of Colorado at Boulder, NIST, JILA, University of Colorado at Boulder, National Renewable Energy Laboratory, University of Denver, University of Colorado, Boulder, NREL, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, 85287- 1604, USA, DU, ERI, Eleanor Roosevelt Institute (ERI), Cerro Tololo Interamerican Observatory, Utah State University, Center for Atmospheric and Space Sciences, Sciprint.org, University of Colorado at Boulder, JILA and University of Colorado, Kirchhoff Institute for Physics, University of Heidelberg, Utah Valley University, University of New South Wales, San Francisco State University, Weber State University, Cambridge University, Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Utah, Kansas State University, Columbia University, NY, University of Colorado/JILA, Vice-President for Research and Technology Transfer, Colorado School of Mines

  • John Poate

    Brigham Young University, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Utah, USA, MV Systems, Inc., USA, Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin fuer Materialien und Energie, Abteilung Silizium-Photovoltaik, Germany, Colorado School of Mines, Department of Physics, USA, Georgia Institute of Technology, Arizona State University, Physics Department of Babolsar University, Iran, Physics Department, New Mexico State University, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, 85287-1604, USA, Department of Electrical Engineering, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, AR 72701, USA, Department of Physics, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, 85287-1504, USA, Colorado State University, University of Wisconsin, NSF ERC for Extreme Ultraviolet Science and Technology, Colorado State University, BYU-Provo, Michigan Technical University and Pierre Auger Collaboration, University of Colorado, Colorado School of Mines, Department of Physics, Colorado State University, Department of Physics, Cornell University, NASA, University of Massachusetts at Amherst, University of Massachusetss at Amherst, APS President, Harvard University, Society of Physics Students, Duke University, Computer Science, Brigham Young University, Chemistry \& Biochemistry, Brigham Young University, University of Arizona, University of Utah, Kansas State Univ., Bethel University, University of New Mexico, Stanford University, JILA, University of Colorado at Boulder, NIST, JILA, University of Colorado at Boulder, National Renewable Energy Laboratory, University of Denver, University of Colorado, Boulder, NREL, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, 85287- 1604, USA, DU, ERI, Eleanor Roosevelt Institute (ERI), Cerro Tololo Interamerican Observatory, Utah State University, Center for Atmospheric and Space Sciences, Sciprint.org, University of Colorado at Boulder, JILA and University of Colorado, Kirchhoff Institute for Physics, University of Heidelberg, Utah Valley University, University of New South Wales, San Francisco State University, Weber State University, Cambridge University, Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Utah, Kansas State University, Columbia University, NY, University of Colorado/JILA, Vice-President for Research and Technology Transfer, Colorado School of Mines

  • John Poate

    Brigham Young University, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Utah, USA, MV Systems, Inc., USA, Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin fuer Materialien und Energie, Abteilung Silizium-Photovoltaik, Germany, Colorado School of Mines, Department of Physics, USA, Georgia Institute of Technology, Arizona State University, Physics Department of Babolsar University, Iran, Physics Department, New Mexico State University, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, 85287-1604, USA, Department of Electrical Engineering, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, AR 72701, USA, Department of Physics, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, 85287-1504, USA, Colorado State University, University of Wisconsin, NSF ERC for Extreme Ultraviolet Science and Technology, Colorado State University, BYU-Provo, Michigan Technical University and Pierre Auger Collaboration, University of Colorado, Colorado School of Mines, Department of Physics, Colorado State University, Department of Physics, Cornell University, NASA, University of Massachusetts at Amherst, University of Massachusetss at Amherst, APS President, Harvard University, Society of Physics Students, Duke University, Computer Science, Brigham Young University, Chemistry \& Biochemistry, Brigham Young University, University of Arizona, University of Utah, Kansas State Univ., Bethel University, University of New Mexico, Stanford University, JILA, University of Colorado at Boulder, NIST, JILA, University of Colorado at Boulder, National Renewable Energy Laboratory, University of Denver, University of Colorado, Boulder, NREL, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, 85287- 1604, USA, DU, ERI, Eleanor Roosevelt Institute (ERI), Cerro Tololo Interamerican Observatory, Utah State University, Center for Atmospheric and Space Sciences, Sciprint.org, University of Colorado at Boulder, JILA and University of Colorado, Kirchhoff Institute for Physics, University of Heidelberg, Utah Valley University, University of New South Wales, San Francisco State University, Weber State University, Cambridge University, Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Utah, Kansas State University, Columbia University, NY, University of Colorado/JILA, Vice-President for Research and Technology Transfer, Colorado School of Mines