We review the family of optoelectronic devices whose performance is enhanced by placing the active device structure inside a Fabry‐Perot resonantmicrocavity. Such resonantcavity enhanced (RCE) devices benefit from the wavelength selectivity and the large increase of the resonant optical field introduced by the cavity. The increased optical field allows RCE photodetector structures to be thinner and therefore faster, while simultaneously increasing the quantum efficiency at the resonant wavelengths. Off‐resonance wavelengths are rejected by the cavity making RCE photodetectors promising for low crosstalk wavelength division multiplexing(WDM) applications. RCE optical modulators require fewer quantum wells so are capable of reduced voltage operation. The spontaneous emission spectrum of RCE light emitting diodes(LED) is drastically altered, improving the spectral purity and directivity. RCE devices are also highly suitable for integrated detectors and emitters with applications as in optical logic and in communication networks. This review attempts an encyclopedic overview of RCE photonicdevices and systems. Considerable attention is devoted to the theoretical formulation and calculation of important RCE device parameters. Materials criteria are outlined and the suitability of common heteroepitaxial systems for RCE devices is examined. Arguments for the improved bandwidth in RCE detectors are presented intuitively, and results from advanced numerical simulations confirming the simple model are provided. An overview of experimental results on discrete RCE photodiodes, phototransistors, modulators, and LEDs is given. Work aimed at integrated RCE devices,optical logic and WDM systems is also covered. We conclude by speculating what remains to be accomplished to implement a practical RCE WDM system.

Resonant cavity enhanced photonic devices

Advanced epitaxial growth techniques permit the use of pseudomorphic Si/sub 1-x/Ge/sub x/ alloys in silicon technology. The smaller bandgap of these alloys allows for a variety of novel band-engineered structures that promise to enhance silicon-based technology significantly. The authors discuss the growth and properties of pseudomorphic Si/sub 1-x/Ge/sub x/ structures and then focus on their applications, especially the Si/sub 1-x/Ge/sub x/-base heterojunction bipolar transistor (HBT). They show that HBTs in the Si/sub 1-x/Ge/sub x/ system allow for the decoupling of current gain and intrinsic base resistance. Such devices can be made by using a variety of techniques, including molecular-beam epitaxy and chemical vapor deposition. The authors describe the evolution of fabrication schemes for such HBTs and describe the DC and AC results obtained. They show that optimally designed HBTs coupled with advanced bipolar structures can provide performance leverage. >

Heterojunction bipolar transistors using Si-Ge alloys

The first successful pseudomorphic GexSi1-x strained layers on Si were grown in Germany in 1975. The extensive work that has been done on the production, properties and application of GexSi1-x strained layers and superlattices over the last fifteen years is described in this review. Values of critical layer thickness of the strained layers predicted by equilibrium theories are discussed and compared with experimental results. For x<0.6 the observed values are much larger than the theoretical values. The possible causes of this discrepancy are investigated and it is concluded that the layers must be metastable due to an energy barrier for the production of dislocations. Critical layer thicknesses of superlattices are also discussed and symmetrically strained superlattices are described. Results of band structure calculations of the strained layers and superlattices are given. Strain causes a large reduction in the fundamental indirect band gap of the Si/Ge alloy. Calculated band line-ups at the strained layer-substrate interface are compared with experiment. Modifications in the band structure due to strain have considerable effect on the optical and transport properties of the strained layers. Observed luminescence, photoconductivity and mobility are compared with predictions, taking strain into account. In the case of superlattices, band structure is further modified by zone folding. Superlattice structures which can produce a direct band gap are discussed. Raman scattering has proved a valuable tool for characterizing strained layers and superlattices. In the case of GexSi1-x strained layers, the Raman spectrum shows phonon lines shifted by strain. In the case of superlattices, additional lines due to zone folded LA phonons are observed. Raman measurements may be used to determine strain, thickness of a period and quality of interfaces. This review places emphasis on the use of Si/Ge strained in layers in Si-technology-based integrated circuits. The devices which have been fabricated to exploit properties of these layers include double heterostructure bipolar transistors, optical detectors, modulation doped field-effect transistors and mixed tunnelling avalanche transit time diodes. Progress made in the last 18 months has been rapid; a transistor with a cut-off frequency of 75 GHz was recently fabricated and this device has considerable promise.

https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1088/0268-1242/6/7/001/pdf

Structure, properties and applications of GexSi1-x strained layers and superlattices

A pnn double heterostructure optoelectronic switch with dual extractor electrodes was dynamically operated as an optical memory with the resulting achievement of 20 μW holding power. This value represents a reduction in holding power of about three orders of magnitude as compared to that of conventional light‐emitting optical bistable devices. Complete operation, involving optical writing, regeneration, and high‐speed erasing of written data through a dual extractor‐electrodes configuration, was carried out with a simple driving scheme.

Double heterostructure optoelectronic switch as a dynamic memory with low-power consumption

Integrated circuits and fabrication methods incorporating both two-terminal devices such as IMPATT diodes (446) and Schottky diodes (454) and three-terminal devices such as n-channel MESFETs (480) in a monolithic integrated circuit.

Integrated circuit and method

A new solid-state field-effect bipolar device designated the BICFET for bipolar inversion channel field-effect transistor is proposed. The device, which is bipolar in nature and relies upon the field-effect inducement of an inversion layer, that corresponds to the conventional neutral base of a bipolar transistor, features potentially very high current gain (105), very high current operation (106A/cm2) and thus high transconductance (4 × 107S/cm2) and low input capacitance. The BICFET has three terminals: a metallic emitter which makes ohmic contact to a semi-insulator (wide bandgap semiconductor); a source terminal which contacts an inversion layer formed at the interface between the semi-insulator and the semiconductor depletion region; and a collector which is the semiconductor bulk. An important feature of this bipolar device is the absence of the base layer and all of its associated problems. The principle of operation is based on controlling the flow of majority carriers through the semi-insulating region to the collector by the biasing action of charge in the inversion channel. A significant advantage of the BICFET structure is that it is not subject to the scaling limitations due to punchthrough as in the MOS or junction bipolar transistor. The problem of threshold control in the MOS transistor is avoided, so the requirement of very shallow junctions may be relaxed.

The bipolar inversion channel field-effect transistor (BICFET)&#8212;A new field-effect solid-state device: Theory and structures

In this paper a theory is developed for the double heterostructure optoelectronic switching device (DOES). The DOES is a new optoelectronic device in which the optical output can be switched with either an electrical or an optical input. It may be regarded as an LED or laser that has been combined internally with an electrical switching device. The device may be triggered from its OFF-state (high impedance and no emission) either optically or electrically into its ON-state where it emits light and exhibits low impedance. The device therefore has binary electrical states and binary optical states that may be changed by either an electrical or an optical input, or combinations thereof.

J.G. Simmons

Papers

The bipolar inversion channel field-effect transistor (BICFET)—A new field-effect solid-state device: Theory and structures

Theory of electron conduction in the double-heterostructure optoelectronic switch (DOES)

J.G. Simmons

Papers

The bipolar inversion channel field-effect transistor (BICFET)&#8212;A new field-effect solid-state device: Theory and structures

Theory of electron conduction in the double-heterostructure optoelectronic switch (DOES)

The bipolar inversion channel field-effect transistor (BICFET)—A new field-effect solid-state device: Theory and structures