GOALI: BGaAs and BGaInAs Detectors Lattice-Matched to Silicon

GOALI：与硅晶格匹配的 BGaAs 和 BGaInAs 探测器

• 批准号: 1933836
• 负责人: Seth Bank
• 金额: $ 37万
• 依托单位: University of Texas at Austin
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2019
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2019-09-01 至 2022-08-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=1933836&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: GOALI; BGaAs; BGaInAs; Detectors; Lattice

Nontechnical:Integrated circuits based on silicon have transformed modern life. They are the basis of microelectronics and digital computers. Silicon has also been used for optoelectronics devices that convert light into electricity, such as solar cells and photodetectors, or electricity into light, such as light-emitting diodes and lasers. However, silicon is sensitive only to visible light and a limited portion of the infrared spectrum. Also, the speed with which silicon-based devices can detect light is fundamentally limited. This project will study a new family of boron-containing materials that are sensitive to a broader range of infrared light as well as greatly increased speed of detection. One key advantage of these materials is that their crystal structure is compatible with silicon. This allows for them to be grown as high-quality crystals directly on silicon and take advantage of the sophisticated silicon manufacturing infrastructure. This project will demonstrate several types of photodetectors, as well as determine the fundamental physical properties necessary to gauge their ultimate potential. Applications include autonomous vehicles, communication systems, and biomedical instrumentation. The project will also provide unique mentoring and research experiences for graduate, undergraduate, and high school students. Outreach activities will include inspiring K - 12 students through classroom visits, as well as events like Science Thursdays and the Edison Lecture Series.Technical:Monolithic integration of direct bandgap, lattice-matched, semiconductor alloys with silicon remains a holy grail of photonics for both lasers and photodetectors. The resulting devices would enable tremendous advances in functionality for silicon-based photonic integrated circuits, with applications ranging from imaging systems and laser radar, to telecommunications, chemical sensing, etc. Current approaches towards monolithic integration of direct bandgap materials on silicon suffer from a variety of challenges, and there is no clear path to the lattice-matched materials needed to address important emerging applications in the near- and mid-infrared. A solution to this critical challenge is proposed: one focused on BGaInAs photodetectors on silicon that could span cutoff wavelengths from 1 to 5 microns. It is underpinned by the commercial availability of GaP/Si substrates, as well as the team's recent success demonstrating (1) record high boron contents up to ~22% into GaAs, nearly sufficient to lattice-match with silicon, (2) prototype pn and pin BGa(In)As photodetectors and light emitting diodes on GaAs, and (3) successful initial growths of coherent direct bandgap BGaAs on GaP and GaP/Si. While the focus will be on realizing direct bandgap lattice-matched photodetectors, it is important to note this approach will be applicable to emitters as well. This project will couple the expertise of the University of Texas at Austin with molecular beam epitaxial growth and device fabrication of epitaxial BGa(In)As photodetectors with the mid-infrared nBn detector expertise of Amethyst Research Inc. to: (1) realize high-performance pn- and pin-junction photodetectors on silicon, (2) illuminate and quantify the accessible bandgaps and band alignments on silicon and GaAs, and (3) use these properties to design and demonstrate silicon-based nBn detectors in the 3-5 micron range.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.

非技术：基于硅的集成电路改变了现代生活。它们是微电子学和数字计算机的基础。硅还被用于将光转换为电的光电子器件，如太阳能电池和光电探测器，或将电转换为光，如发光二极管和激光器。然而，硅仅对可见光和红外光谱的有限部分敏感。此外，硅基器件检测光的速度从根本上受到限制。该项目将研究一种新的含硼材料，这种材料对更宽范围的红外光敏感，并大大提高了检测速度。这些材料的一个关键优点是它们的晶体结构与硅兼容。这使得它们可以直接在硅上生长为高质量的晶体，并利用复杂的硅制造基础设施。该项目将展示几种类型的光电探测器，并确定测量其最终潜力所需的基本物理特性。应用包括自动驾驶汽车、通信系统和生物医学仪器。该项目还将为研究生、本科生和高中生提供独特的指导和研究经验。推广活动将包括通过课堂参观激励K - 12学生，以及科学星期四和爱迪生系列讲座等活动。技术：直接带隙、晶格匹配的半导体合金与硅的单片集成仍然是激光器和光电探测器光子学的圣杯。所得到的器件将使基于硅的光子集成电路的功能性取得巨大进步，其应用范围从成像系统和激光雷达到电信、化学传感等。目前在硅上单片集成直接带隙材料的方法面临各种挑战，并且对于解决近红外和中红外中重要的新兴应用所需的晶格匹配材料没有明确的途径。 提出了一个解决这一关键挑战的方案：一个专注于硅上的BGaInAs光电探测器，可以跨越截止波长从1到5微米。它的基础是GaP/Si衬底的商业可用性，以及该团队最近的成功证明：（1）GaAs中硼含量高达约22%，几乎足以与硅晶格匹配，（2）GaAs上的pn和pin BGa（In）As光电探测器和发光二极管原型，以及（3）在GaP和GaP/Si上成功初步生长相干直接带隙BGaAs。 虽然重点将放在实现直接带隙晶格匹配的光电探测器上，但重要的是要注意这种方法也适用于发射器。 该项目将结合德克萨斯大学奥斯汀分校的分子束外延生长技术和外延BGa（In）As光电探测器的器件制造技术，以及Amethyst Research Inc.的中红外nBn探测器技术。收件人：（1）在硅上实现高性能pn结和pin结光电探测器，（2）阐明和量化硅和GaAs上可达到的带隙和能带对准，（3）利用这些特性设计并演示了3- 100 nm波段的硅基nBn探测器。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并已被认为是值得通过使用基金会的智力价值和更广泛的影响审查标准。

项目成果

Reducing III-V avalanche photodiode noise through the introduction of boron

通过引入硼降低 III-V 雪崩光电二极管噪声

• 发表时间: 2021
• 期刊: Device Research Conference
• 作者: El-Jaroudi, Rasha H.;Dadey, Adam A.;Xue, Xingjun;Jones, Andrew H.;Guo, Bingtian;Campbell, Joe C.;Bank, Seth R.
• 通讯作者: Bank, Seth R.

Bowing of the band gap and spin-orbit splitting energy in BGaAs

• DOI: 10.1088/2053-1591/ab62e9
• 发表时间: 2019-12-01
• 期刊: MATERIALS RESEARCH EXPRESS
• 影响因子: 2.3
• 作者: Kudrawiec, R.;Polak, M. P.;Bank, S. R.
• 通讯作者: Bank, S. R.