Ge₀.₉₂Sn₀.₀₈/Ge multi-quantum-well LEDs operated at 2-μm-wavelength on 12-inch Si substrate

Abstract

The development of an efficient group-IV light source that is compatible with the CMOS process remains a significant goal in Si-based photonics. Recently, the GeSn alloy has been identified as a promising candidate for realizing Si-based light sources. However, the previous research suffered from a small wafer size, limiting the throughput and yield. To overcome this challenge, we report the successful growth of the first GeSn/Ge multiple-quantum-well (MQW) p-i-n LEDs on a 12-inch Si substrate. To the best of our knowledge, this represents the first report of semiconductor LEDs grown on such a large substrate. The MQW LED epitaxial layer is deposited on a 12-inch (001)-oriented intrinsic Si substrate using commercial reduced pressure chemical vapor deposition (RPCVD). In order to mitigate the detrimental effects of threading dislocation densities (TDDs) on luminescence, the GeSn/Ge is deliberately grown into a pseudomorphic. Owing to the high crystal quality and more directness in bandgap, enhanced electroluminescence (EL) integrated intensity of 27.58 times is demonstrated compared to the Ge LED. The MQW LEDs exhibit EL emission near 2 μm over a wide operating temperature range of 300 to 450 K, indicating high-temperature stability. This work shows that the GeSn/Ge MQW emitting are the potential group-IV light sources for large-scale manufacturing.