Uncooled GeSn MWIR Photodetectors Using Fully Relaxed Thin Triple‐Step Buffer

Park, Suho; Zhao, Haochen; Zhama, Tuofu; Chen, Zijun; Zhang, Yuying; Zhu, Xiaofeng; Prather, Dennis W.; Kolodzey, James; Zeng, Yuping

doi:10.1002/admt.202500455

Uncooled GeSn MWIR Photodetectors Using Fully Relaxed Thin Triple‐Step Buffer

Journal Article · Tue Jun 03 00:00:00 EDT 2025 · Advanced Materials Technologies

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1002/admt.202500455· OSTI ID:2583956

^[1]; Zhao, Haochen ^[1]; Zhama, Tuofu ^[1]; Chen, Zijun ^[1]; Zhang, Yuying ^[1]; Zhu, Xiaofeng ^[1]; Prather, Dennis W. ^[1]; Kolodzey, James ^[1]; ^[1]

University of Delaware, Newark, DE (United States)

GeSn photodetectors monolithically grown on Ge virtual substrates demonstrate mid-wave infrared (MWIR) detection at room temperature. The lattice mismatch between GeSn and Ge causes dislocations and compressive strain, creating leakage pathways and unwanted indirect band transitions. Designed thin Ge_0.91Sn_0.09 triple-step buffer layers of ≈175 nm total thickness reduce dislocations and enable full relaxation, showing 100% lattice relaxation and smooth surface roughness of 0.83 nm with shorter auto-correlation length in surface morphology compared to single-step buffers. Ge_1-xSn_x photodetectors (x = 0.09, 0.12, and 0.15) on triple-step buffers with n-i-p configurations achieve lattice strain relaxations of 99%, 88%, and 80%, respectively. Ge_0.91Sn_0.09 and Ge_0.88Sn_0.12 show gradual variation in auto-correlation amplitude, while Ge_0.85Sn_0.15 shows an increase due to lattice mismatch. Shockley–Read–Hall recombination current dominates at low reverse bias due to mismatch-induced dislocations, while band-to-band tunneling current dominates at higher reverse bias due to narrowing bandgap under strong electric fields. Here, the photodetectors show extended spectral response with increasing Sn composition of i-GeSn active layer sandwiched by barriers. Ge_0.88Sn_0.12 and Ge_0.85Sn_0.15 exhibit extended wavelength cut-offs of 3.12 and 3.27 µm at room temperature, demonstrating significant potential for silicon-based MWIR applications.

View Accepted Manuscript (DOE)

Research Organization:: University of Delaware, Newark, DE (United States)

Sponsoring Organization:: Air Force Office of Scientific Research; National Science Foundation (NSF); USDOE Office of Science (SC), Basic Energy Sciences (BES)

Grant/Contract Number:: SC0023412; SC0025379

OSTI ID:: 2583956

Journal Information:: Advanced Materials Technologies, Journal Name: Advanced Materials Technologies Journal Issue: 17 Vol. 10; ISSN 2365-709X

Publisher:: WileyCopyright Statement

Country of Publication:: United States

Language:: English

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Uncooled GeSn MWIR Photodetectors Using Fully Relaxed Thin Triple‐Step Buffer

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