Reverse current reduction of Ge photodiodes on Si without post-growth annealing Invited Paper

A new approach to reduce the reverse current of Ge pin photodiodes on Si is presented, in which an i-Si layer is inserted between Ge and top Si layers to reduce the electric field in the Ge layer. Without post- growth annealing, the reverse current density is reduced to ～10 mA/cm2 at -1 V, i.e., over one order of magnitude lower than that of the reference photodiode without i-Si layer. However, the responsivity of the photodiodes is not severely compromised. This lowered-reverse-current is explained by band-pinning at the i-Si/i-Ge interface. Barrier lowering mechanism induced by E-field is also discussed. The presented "non-thermal" approach to reduce reverse current should accelerate electronics-photonics convergence by using Ge on the Si complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) platform.     

Formation of Ge islands from a Ge layer on Si substrate during post-growth annealing

We have deposited a 12 nm thick Ge layer on Si(1 0 0) held at 200 °C by thermal evaporation under high vacuum conditions. Upon subsequent thermal annealing in vacuum, self-assembled growth of nanostructural Ge islands on the Ge layer occurred. Atomic force microscopy (AFM) and grazing incidence small-angle X-ray scattering (GISAXS) were used to characterize such layers. GISAXS measurements evidenced the formation of cylinder shaped structures upon annealing at 700 °C, which was confirmed by AFM measurements with a very sharp tip. A Ge mass transport from the layer to the islands was inferred by X-ray reflectivity and an activation energy of 0.40 ± 0.10 eV for such a process was calculated.     

Normal incidence p-i-n Ge heterojunction photodiodes on Si substrate grown by ultrahigh vacuum chemical vapor deposition

We report on normal incidence p-i-n heterojunction photodiodes operating in the near-infrared region and realized in pure germanium on planar silicon substrate. The diodes were fabricated by ultrahigh vacuum chemical vapor deposition at 600 °C without thermal annealing and allowing the integration with standard silicon processes. Due to the 0.14% residual tensile strain generated by the thermal expansion mismatch between Ge and Si, an efficiency enhancement of nearly 3-fold at 1.55 μm and the absorption edge shifting to longer wavelength of about 40 nm are achieved in the epitaxial Ge films. The diode with a responsivity of 0.23 A/W at 1.55 μm wavelength and a bulk dark current density of 10 mA/cm² is demonstrated. These diodes with high performances and full compatibility with the CMOS processes enable monolithically integrating microphotonics and microelectronics on the same chip.     

The effects of thermal annealing in self-assembled Ge/Si quantum dots

The effects of thermal annealing in Si base self-assembled Ge dots have been investigated by Raman spectra and PL spectra. An obvious Raman frequency shift under different annealing temperature can be observed. There are two main effects during the annealing procession: one is the inter-diffusion of the Si and Ge quantum dots; the other is the relaxation of the elastic strain. With the calculated results, PL blue shift can be related to strain relaxation effects, and/or a general decrease of Ge content due to the Ge-Si intermixing.     

Lattice location of light implanted ions in Si and Ge after laser annealing

Abstract

Radiation damage produced by short ranged (ranges 20–30 μm) charged particles (alpha particles and fission fragments) in thick plastic track detectors (thickness ≈ 150 μm) has been enlarged to produce “through” holes by using a combination of electrochemical and chemical etching processes. A series of experiments were conducted with a view to optimize the operating conditions required to produce through holes with most suitable profiles for a particular application at hand. This novel technique has been employed in producing thick nuclear track filters using fission fragments from U-235 fission and alpha particles from radon and its daughters.     

Ge/Si photodiodes and phototransistors with embedded arrays of germanium quantum dots for fiber-optic communication lines

Photodetectors based on Ge/Si multilayer heterostructures with germanium quantum dots are fabricated for use in fiber-optic communication lines operating in the wavelength range 1.30–1.55 μm. These photodetectors can be embedded in an array of photonic circuit elements on a single silicon chip. The sheet density of germanium quantum dots falls in the range from 0.3 × 10¹² to 1.0 × 10¹² cm^?2, and their lateral size is approximately equal to 10 nm. The heterostructures are grown by molecular-beam epitaxy. For a reverse bias of 1 V, the dark current density reaches 2 × 10^?5 A/cm². This value is the lowest in the data on dark current densities available in the literature for Ge/Si photodetectors at room temperature. The quantum efficiency of photodiodes and phototransistors subjected to illumination from the side of the plane of the p-n junctions is found to be 3% at a wavelength of 1.3 μm. It is demonstrated that the maximum quantum efficiency is achieved for edge-illuminated waveguide structures and can be as high as 21 and 16% at wavelengths of 1.3 and 1.5 μm, respectively.     

Ge diffusion on Si surfaces

Ge diffusion on Si(100), (111), and (110) surfaces has been studied by Auger electron spectroscopy and low energy electron diffraction in the temperature range from 600 to 800 °C. Surface diffusion coefficients versus temperature have been measured.     

XPS study of annealing induced effects on surface and interface electronic properties of Si/Ge nanostructures

The present study is focused on the influence of vacuum thermal treatment on surface/interface electronic properties of Si/Ge multilayer structures (MLS) characterized using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) technique. Desired [Si(5 nm)/Ge(5 nm)]_×10 MLS were prepared using electron beam evaporation technique under ultra high vacuum (UHV) conditions. The core-level XPS spectra of as-deposited as well as multilayer samples annealed at different temperatures such as 100 °C, 150 °C and 200 °C for 1 h show substantial reduction in Ge 2p peak integrated intensity, whereas peak intensity of Si 2p remains almost constant. The complete interdiffusion took place after annealing the sample at 200 °C for 5 h as confirmed from depth profiling of annealed MLS. The asymmetric behaviour in intensity patterns of Si and Ge with annealing was attributed to faster interdiffusion of Si into Ge layer. However, another set of experiments on these MLS annealed at 500 °C suggests that interdiffusion can also be studied by annealing the system at higher temperature for relatively shorter time duration.     

Dark current analysis of InSb photodiodes

We report on low dark current InSb photodiodes with mesa structures in which bulk g-r plus shunt resistance are the dominant current mechanisms up to approx. 700 mV reverse bias. Tunneling current dominates for large reverse bias, and bulk diffusion current dominates for forward bias > 15 mV. The dark current data over a voltage range of −820 to 80 mV and a temperature range of 75–90 K has been fitted to a theory which includes bulk and surface diffusion, bulk and surface g-r, shunt resistance and tunneling.     

Self-assembled SiGe quantum dots embedded in Ge matrix by Si ion implantation and subsequent annealing

We have fabricated SiGe quantum dots (QDs) by means of a two-step Si ion implantation followed by thermal rapid thermal annealing (RTA) method. SiGe QDs with the 4–6 nm diameter are formed uniformly in the near-surface region of Ge substrate. The RTA processes are performed at 800 and 900 °C for 15 s, respectively. Both experimental and theoretical analysis indicates that the higher temperature (900 °C) RTA can enhance the growth of SiGe QDs. Two photoluminescence peaks are observed near 572 and 581 nm at room temperature. The mechanism of the luminescence from SiGe QDs is discussed.     

Enhanced infrared response of Si base p-n diode with self-assembled Ge quantum dots by thermal annealing

The effects of thermal annealing in Si base p-n diode with self-assembled Ge dots stacked in eight layers structure are investigated. The effects of annealing are discussed based on the photovoltage spectra, the PL spectra and the Raman spectra. Three main effects occur after thermal annealing: the reduction of point defects, the intermixing of Si-Ge and the strain relaxation. The experimental result shows that 800 °C might be a suitable annealing temperature for photovoltaic applications.     

Improved performance of Ge n~+/p diode by combining laser annealing and epitaxial Si passivation

A method to improve Ge n~+/p junction diode performance by excimer laser annealing(ELA) and epitaxial Si passivation under a low ion implantation dose is demonstrated. The epitaxial Si passivation layer can unpin the Fermi level of the contact of Al/n-Ge to some extent and reduce the contact resistance. In addition, the fabricated Ge n~+/p junction diode by ELA plus epitaxial Si passivation exhibits a decreased reverse current density and an increased forward current density,resulting in a rectification ratio of about 6.5×10~6 beyond two orders magnitude larger than that by ELA alone. The reduced specific contact resistivity of metal on n-doped germanium and well-behaved germanium n~+/p diode are beneficial for the performance improvement of Ge n-MOSFETs and other opto-electronic devices.     

Optical modulator based on a Si0.75Ge0.25/Si/Si0.5Ge0.5 asymmetric superlattice structure

An optical modulator is designed and fabricated based on a Si_0.75Ge_0.25/Si/Si_0.5Ge_0.5 asymmetrical superlattice structure. The device comprises a p-i-n diode made on the asymmetrical superlattice integrated with a 920-μm-long Fabry-Perot (F-P) cavity. Parameters of the rib waveguide are designed to satisfy only the fundamental-TE mode transmission. Here, 65 and 40-pm red shifts of the peak resonant were measured under the applied bias of 2.5 and ?32.0 V, respectively. The analysis shows that, besides the thermal-optical and plasma dispersion effects, the Pockels effect also contributes to such a peak shift. The corresponding calculated effective Pockels coefficient is about 0.158 pm/V.

     

ESR studies on sputtered amorphous SiC,SiGe and GeC films

We have investigated how the ESR signals change with compositions of the binary alloys. Two signals originating from two components are interacting rather strongly with each other and narrowed somewhat by exchange interaction. The origin of the ESR signals has been made clear by comparing those at X-band and Q-band.     

Nonthermal pulsed laser annealing of Si; plasma annealing

In the accompanying paper we have given evidence that pulsed laser annealing of Si does not involve normal thermal melting and recrystallization. Here we argue the importance of the electron-hole plasma produced by the laser to the annealing process.     

硅基锗薄膜选区外延生长研究

利用超高真空化学气相沉积系统, 基于低温Ge缓冲层和选区外延技术, 在Si/SiO₂图形衬底上选择性外延生长Ge薄膜. 采用X射线衍射、扫描电镜、原子力显微镜、拉曼散射光谱等表征了其晶体质量和应变等参数随图形尺寸的变化规律. 测试结果显示, 位错密度随着图形衬底外延窗口的尺寸减小而减少, Ge层中的张应变随窗口尺寸的增大先增大而后趋于稳定. 其原因是选区外延Ge在图形边界形成了(113)面, 减小了材料系统的应变能, 而单位体积应变能随窗口尺寸的增加而减少; 选区外延厚度为380 nm的Ge薄膜X射线衍射曲线半高宽为678", 表面粗糙度为0.2 nm, 表明选区生长的Ge材料具有良好的晶体质量, 有望应用于Si基光电集成.     

Effects of annealing on localized states in amorphous Ge films

Annealing behaviors of the activation energy for the electrical conduction E_σ, that for the thermoelectric power E_s, the optical gap E^opt_g, and the spin density in evaporated amorphous Ge are investigated. E_σ is independent of E_s and E^opt_g, and the rates of variation of E^opt_g and E_s with annealing temperature are connected by △E^opt_g = 2.5△E^opt_s. It is suggested that the position of the Fermi level does not change with annealing in contrast with amorphous Si, and the edge of the localized tail state shifts with annealing.