US 2022/0069156 A1 · METHOD OF GENERATING A GERMANIUM STRUCTURE AND OPTICAL DEVICE COMPRISING A GERMANIUM STRUCTURE

Abstract

A method of generating a germanium structure includes performing an epitaxial depositing process on an assembly of a silicon substrate and an oxide layer, wherein one or more trenches in the oxide layer expose surface portions of the silicon substrate. The epitaxial depositing process includes depositing germanium onto the assembly during a first phase, performing an etch process during a second phase following the first phase in order to remove germanium from the oxide layer, and repeating the first and second phases. A germanium crystal is grown in the trench or trenches. An optical device includes a light-incidence surface formed by a raw textured surface of a germanium structure obtained by an epitaxial depositing process without processing the surface of the germanium structure after the epitaxial process.

Claims18

Dependent claims

A method of generating a germanium structure, the method comprising:

providing an assembly comprising a silicon substrate having an oxide layer on a surface thereof, wherein the oxide layer comprises a number of trenches, each trench extending to and exposing a portion of the surface of the silicon substrate, wherein a trench depth is larger than a trench width, the number of trenches being at least one;
performing an epitaxial depositing process on the assembly to grow up a germanium crystal of the germanium structure on each exposed portion of the silicon substrate, each germanium crystal being formed in an associated trench and on regions of the oxide layer adjoining the associated trench, wherein the epitaxial depositing process comprises:
depositing germanium onto the assembly during a first phase;
performing an etch process during a second phase following the first phase in order to remove germanium from the oxide layer;
and
repeating the first and second phases.

3 more elements

An optical device comprising:

a silicon substrate;
an oxide layer on a surface of the silicon substrate, wherein the oxide layer comprises a number of trenches extending to the surface of the silicon substrate, wherein a trench depth is larger than a trench width, the number of trenches being at least one;
an epitaxially deposited germanium structure on the surface of the silicon substrate, wherein the germanium structure comprises a germanium crystal in each of the number of trenches and on regions of the oxide layer adjoining each trench;
electrical connections to parts of the germanium structure and/or the silicon substrate, wherein the germanium structure forms at least part of a pn junction or a pin junction between the electrical connections;
and
a light incidence surface formed by a raw textured surface of the germanium structure which is obtained by an epitaxial depositing process used to generate the epitaxially deposited germanium structure without processing the surface of the germanium structure after the epitaxial depositing process.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Method of generating a germanium structure and optical device comprising a germanium structure

Life of this patent

Method of generating a germanium structure and optical device comprising a germanium structure

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims18