Reduced pressure–chemical vapor deposition of Ge thick layers on Si(001) for 1.3–1.55-μm photodetection

Ge-based photodetectors operating in the low loss windows (1.3–1.6 μm) of silica fibers are highly desirable for the development of optical interconnections on silicon-on-insulator substrates. We have therefore investigated the structural and optical properties of Ge thick films grown directly onto Si(001) substrates using a production-compatible reduced pressure chemical vapor deposition system. We have first of all evidenced a Ge growth regime which is akin to a supply-limited one in the 400–750 °C temperature range (Ea=6.9 kcal mol−1). The thick Ge layers grown using a low-temperature/high-temperature approach are in a definite tensile-strain configuration, with a threading dislocation density for as-grown layers of the order of 9×108 cm−2 (annealed: <2×108 cm−2). The surface of those Ge thick layers is rather smooth, especially when considering the large lattice mismatch between Ge and Si. The root-mean-square roughness is indeed of the order of 0.6 nm (2 nm) only for as-grown (annealed) layers. A chemical mechanical polishing step followed by some Ge re-epitaxy can help in bringing the surface roughness of annealed layers down, however (0.5 nm). The Ge layers produced are of high optical quality. An absorption coefficient alpha equal to 4300 cm−1 (3400 cm−1) has indeed been found at room temperature and for a 1.55-μm wavelength for as-grown (annealed) layers. A 20-meV band-gap shrinkage with respect to bulk Ge (0.78 eV⇔0.80 eV) is observed as well in those tensile-strained Ge epilayers.