Ge-on-Si optoelectronics

Electronic–photonic synergy has become an increasingly clear solution to enhance the bandwidth and improve the energy efficiency of information systems. Monolithic integration of optoelectronic devices is the ideal solution for large-scale electronic–photonic synergy. Due to its pseudo-direct gap behavior in optoelectronic properties and compatibility with Si electronics, epitaxial Ge-on-Si has become an attractive solution for monolithic optoelectronics. In this paper we will review recent progress in Ge-on-Si optoelectronics, including photodetectors, electroabsorption modulators, and lasers. The performance of these devices has been enhanced by band-engineering such as tensile strain and n-type doping, which transforms Ge towards a direct gap material. Selective growth reduces defect density and facilitates monolithic integration at the same time. Ge-on-Si photodetectors have approached or exceeded the performance of their III–V counterparts, with bandwidth-efficiency product > 30 GHz for p-i-n photodiodes and bandwidth-gain product > 340 GHz for avalanche photodiodes. Enhanced Franz–Keldysh effect in tensile-strained Ge offers ultralow energy photonic modulation with < 30 fJ/bit energy consumption and > 100 GHz intrinsic bandwidth. Room temperature optically-pumped lasing as well as electroluminescence has also been achieved from the direct gap transition of band-engineered Ge-on-Si waveguides. These results indicate that band-engineered Ge-on-Si is promising to achieve monolithic active optoelectronic devices on a Si platform.