Excess carrier lifetimes in Ge layers on Si

Journal Article · Mon Feb 10 00:00:00 EST 2014 · Applied Physics Letters

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4865237· OSTI ID:22283151

Frigerio, J.; Chrastina, D.; Isella, G. ^[1]; Süess, M. J. ^[2]; Spolenak, R. ^[3]; Faist, J. ^[4]

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1. L-NESS, Dipartimento di Fisica del Politecnico di Milano, Via Anzani 42, 22100 Como (Italy)
2. Laboratory for Micro- and Nanotechnology, Paul Scherrer Institut, 5232 Villigen PSI (Switzerland)
3. Laboratory for Nanometallurgy, Department of Materials Science, ETH Zurich, 8093 Zurich (Switzerland)
4. Institute for Quantum Electronics, ETH Zurich, 8093 Zurich (Switzerland)

The excess charge carrier lifetimes in Ge layers grown on Si or germanium-on-insulator are measured by synchrotron based pump-probe transmission spectroscopy. We observe that the lifetimes do not strongly depend on growth parameters and annealing procedure, but on the doping profile. The defect layer at the Ge/Si interface is found to be the main non-radiative recombination channel. Therefore, the longest lifetimes in Ge/Si (2.6 ns) are achieved in sufficiently thick Ge layers with a built-in field, which repels electrons from the Ge/Si interface. Longer lifetimes (5.3 ns) are obtained in overgrown germanium-on-insulator due to the absence of the defective interface.

• OSTI ID: 22283151
• Journal Information: Applied Physics Letters, Vol. 104, Issue 6; Other Information: (c) 2014 AIP Publishing LLC; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 0003-6951
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS
SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND SUPERFLUIDITY
ABSORPTION SPECTROSCOPY
ANNEALING
CARRIER LIFETIME
CHARGE CARRIERS
ELECTRONS
GERMANIUM
HETEROJUNCTIONS
INTERFACES
LAYERS
RECOMBINATION
SILICON