High-power Si-Ge photodiode assisted by doping regulation

Area of Science:

• Photonics
• Semiconductor Devices
• Materials Science

Background:

• Silicon-based photodiodes are crucial for silicon photonics applications like optical interconnections.
• The performance of silicon-germanium (Si-Ge) photodiodes is typically limited by space-charge screening (SCS) and fabrication complexity.

Purpose of the Study:

• To enhance the saturation power of Si-Ge photodiodes.
• To overcome the limitations imposed by the space-charge screening effect.
• To promote the development of low-cost integrated silicon photonics systems.

Main Methods:

• Proposed a Si-Ge photodiode design incorporating doping regulation.
• Implemented doping strategies to alleviate the space-charge screening (SCS) effect.

Main Results:

• Achieved an 85.7% improvement in saturation power.
• Demonstrated a 57% enhancement in -1 dB compression photocurrent.
• The device requires no specialized fabrication processes.

Conclusions:

• Doping regulation effectively mitigates the SCS effect in Si-Ge photodiodes.
• The developed photodiode offers significantly improved high-power performance.
• This advancement supports the creation of more affordable and versatile integrated silicon photonics solutions.