Germanium photodetector embedded in a multi-mode interferometer
AssigneeTaiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.
InventorsWeiwei Song, Stefan Rusu, Chewn-Pu Jou, Huan-Neng Chen
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Abstract
A method includes etching a silicon layer to form a silicon slab and an upper silicon region over the silicon slab, and implanting the silicon slab and the upper silicon region to form a p-type region, an n-type region, and an intrinsic region between the p-type region and the n-type region. The method further includes etching the p-type region, the n-type region, and the intrinsic region to form a trench. The remaining portions of the upper silicon region form a Multi-Mode Interferometer (MMI) region. An epitaxy process is performed to grow a germanium region in the trench. Electrical connections are made to connect to the p-type region and the n-type region.
Claims20
A method comprising:
- etching a silicon layer to form a silicon slab and an upper silicon region over the silicon slab;
- implanting the silicon slab and the upper silicon region to form:
- a p-type region;
- an n-type region;
- and
- an intrinsic region between the p-type region and the n-type region;
- etching the p-type region, the n-type region, and the intrinsic region to form a trench, wherein remaining portions of the upper silicon region form a Multi-Mode Interferometer (MMI) region;
- performing an epitaxy process to grow a germanium region in the trench;
- and
- forming electrical connections connecting to the p-type region and the n-type region.
A method comprising:
- forming a semiconductor region comprising a Multi-Mode Interferometer (MMI) region therein, the semiconductor region comprising:
- a p-type region;
- an n-type region;
- an intrinsic region between the p-type region and the n-type region;
- and
- an input port;
- etching the p-type region, the n-type region, and the intrinsic region to form a trench;
- and
- forming germanium region in the trench through epitaxy, wherein the semiconductor region and the germanium region in combination form a photodetector configured to convert a single-mode of an input light that is input from the input port to a light having high-order modes.
A method comprising:
- forming a silicon region comprising:
- a silicon slab;
- an upper silicon region over and joining the silicon slab, wherein the upper silicon region comprises a first portion, a second portion, and a third portion, with the second portion being between the first portion and the third portion, and the first portion being narrower than the second portion and the third portion, wherein the upper silicon region forms a Multi-Mode Interferometer (MMI) region;
- and
- etching a middle part of the third portion to form a trench, wherein the etched middle part comprises a p-type region, an n-type region, and an intrinsic region;
- and
- growing a germanium region in the trench.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.