Photoconductivity of Si/Ge/SiOx and Si/Ge/Si structures with germanium quantum dots

A nonmonotonic dependence of the lateral photoconductivity (PC) on the interband light intensity is observed in Si/Ge/Si and Si/Ge/SiO_x structures with self-organized germanium quantum dots (QDs): in addition to a stepped increase in PC, a stepped decrease in PC is also observed. The effect of temperature and drive field on these features of the PC for both types of structures with a maximum nominal thickness of the Ge layer (N_Ge) is studied. The results obtained are discussed in the context of percolation theory for nonequilibrium carriers localized in different regions of the structure: electrons in the silicon matrix and holes in QDs.