Tensile strained semiconductor photon emission and detection devices and integrated photonics system

摘要

Tensile strained germanium is provided that can be sufficiently strained to provide a nearly direct band gap material or a direct band gap material. Compressively stressed or tensile stressed stressor materials in contact with germanium regions induce uniaxial or biaxial tensile strain in the germanium regions. Stressor materials may include silicon nitride or silicon germanium. The resulting strained germanium structure can be used to emit or detect photons including, for example, generating photons within a resonant cavity to provide a laser.

主权项

1. An optical element comprising a first semiconductor material region, the first semiconductor material region in contact with and surrounded by a single tensile stressor region within a common plane with the first semiconductor material region, the single tensile stressor region inducing biaxial tensile strain within at least a portion of the first semiconductor material region in the plane, the biaxial tensile strain causing a smallest band gap in the portion of the first semiconductor material region to be a direct band gap, whereas absent the tensile stressor region said smallest band gap in the portion of the first semiconductor material region would be an indirect band gap.