High speed optical modulation in Ge quantum wells using quantum confined stark effect

doi:10.1007/s12200-012-0194-9

Front Optoelec

2012, Vol. 5

Issue (1) : 82-89 https://doi.org/10.1007/s12200-012-0194-9

RESEARCH ARTICLE

High speed optical modulation in Ge quantum wells using quantum confined stark effect

Yiwen RONG¹, Yijie HUO¹(

), Edward T. FEI¹, Marco FIORENTINO², Michael R.T. TAN², Tomasz OCHALSKI³, Guillaume HUYET³, Lars THYLEN⁴, Marek CHACINSKI⁴, Theodore I. KAMINS¹, James S. HARRIS¹

1. Department of Electrical Engineering, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA; 2. Quantum Science Research, Hewlett-Packard Laboratories, Palo Alto, CA 94304, USA; 3. Tyndall National Institute, Lee Maltings, Photonics Building, Cork, Ireland; 4. Photonics and Microwave Engineering Royal Institute of Technology Kista, Stockholm S-164 40, Sweden

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Abstract

We focus on the optimization of SiGe material deposition, the minimization of the parasitic capacitance of the probe pads for high speed, low voltage and high contrast ratio operation. The device fabrication is based on processes for standard Si electronics and is suitable for mass-production. We present observations of quantum confinement and quantum-confined Stark effect (QCSE) electroabsorption in Ge quantum wells (QWs) with SiGe barriers grown on Si substrates. Though Ge is an indirect gap semiconductor, the resulting effects are at least as clear and strong as seen in typical III–V QW structures at similar wavelengths. We also demonstrated a modulator, with eye diagrams of up to 3.5 GHz, a small driving voltage of 2.5 V and a modulation bandwidth at about 10 GHz. Finally, carrier dynamics under ultra-fast laser excitation and high-speed photocurrent response are investigated.

Keywords electroabsorption effect Ge optical interconnections optical modulators quantum-confined Stark effect (QCSE) Ge/SiGe quantum wells (QWs)

Corresponding Author(s): HUO Yijie,Email:yijiehuo@gmail.com

Issue Date: 05 March 2012

Cite this article:

Edward T. FEI,Marco FIORENTINO,Michael R.T. TAN, et al. High speed optical modulation in Ge quantum wells using quantum confined stark effect[J]. Front Optoelec, 2012, 5(1): 82-89.

URL:

https://academic.hep.com.cn/foe/EN/10.1007/s12200-012-0194-9
https://academic.hep.com.cn/foe/EN/Y2012/V5/I1/82

Fig.1 Quantum well conduction band and valence band energy (blue lines), carriers’ wave functions (green lines) and energy states (red dash lines), and transition energy (arrows) with and without electric field influence

Fig.2 Quantum well conduction band and valence band energy (blue lines), carriers’ wave functions (green lines) and energy states (red dash lines), and transition energy (arrows) with and without electric field influence

Fig.3 (a) TEM cross section image of 10 pairs of Ge/SiGe MQW grown on Si; (b) 2D XRD reciprocal-space map of quantum well samples

Fig.4 High-speed modulator device process flow (a) epi wafer; (b) two mesa etch; (c) oxide passivation deposition; (d) double contact for p and n regions; (e) metal deposition for contacts

Fig.5 SEM of the top view of the modulator

Fig.6 Optical absorption current measurement

Fig.7 (a) Optical eye diagram of the 40 μm devices at 3.5 GHz; (b) optical response to 10 GHz sine wave RF signal

Fig.8 Pump probe measurement setup

Fig.9 Pump probe measurement result

Fig.10 Small signal measurement for 6 μm × 6 μm device

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