Si 1−x Ge x / Si resonant-cavity-enhanced photodetectors with a silicon-on-oxide reflector operating near 1.3 μm

Abstract

We report on a Si1−xGex/Si multiple quantum-well resonant-cavity-enhanced (RCE) photodetector with a silicon-on-oxide reflector as the bottom mirror operating near 1.3 μm. The breakdown voltage of the photodetector is above 18 V and the dark current density at 5 V reverse bias is 12 pA/μm2. The RCE photodetector shows enhanced responsivity with a clear peak at 1.285 μm and the peak responsivity is measured around 10.2 mA/W at a reverse bias of 5 V. The external quantum efficiency at 1.3 μm is measured to be 3.5% under reverse bias of 16 V, which is enhanced three- to fourfold compared with that of a conventional p-i-n photodetector with a Ge content of 0.5 reported in 1995 by Huang et al. [Appl. Phys. Lett. 67, 566 (1995)].