Design and fabrication of integrated Si-based optoelectronic devices

We have designed and fabricated novel Si-based optoelectronic devices. To this aim, different Si-based optical sources have been made and their performances at room temperature compared. Er-doped Si p-n junctions, operating at 1.54 mum and exhibiting an efficiency of 0.05% at room temperature, have been integrated with planar Si rib waveguides using either epitaxial Si or silicon on insulators (SOI) wafers. Optical characterization of these waveguides reveals very low transmission losses (below 1 dB/cm). However, Er-doping of the waveguide core, needed for the realization of the light source, results in a large increase of the losses as a consequence of absorption by the free electrons introduced by the rare earths. These losses can be suppressed when the junction is reverse biased and the whole Er profile is embodied in the depletion layer. Since this also allows efficient pumping of Er ions by hot carriers, the performances of the diodes and of the waveguides can be suitably combined. This optimized structure has also been used to design electrically pumped optical amplifiers and lasers, whose performances have been simulated. (C) 2001 Published by Elsevier Science Ltd.