Strain-balanced Si/SiGe type-II superlattices for near-infrared photodetection

Strain balanced silicon-silicon germanium type-II superlattice p-i-n photodetectors grown on a silicon germanium relaxed buffer layer are shown to exhibit an absorption band that extends beyond 0.7 eV (λ = 1.77 μm) with dark current densities of 27 μA cm−2. Simulations of the absorption edge, which are based on x-ray diffraction characterization, low observed dark current densities, and low dislocation densities, are consistent with fully strained heterostructures. Potential applications for devices made from this heterostructure design could include integrated silicon detectors, or low-noise absorption regions for infrared-extended silicon based avalanche photodiodes.