Ion beam synthesis and photoluminescence study of supersaturated fully-relaxed Ge-Sn alloys

Tuan T. Tran; Quentin Hudspeth; Yining Liu; Lachlan A. Smillie; Buguo Wang; Renaud A. Bruce; Jay Mathews; Jeffrey M. Warrender; J. S. Williams

doi:10.1016/j.mseb.2020.114702

Ion beam synthesis and photoluminescence study of supersaturated fully-relaxed Ge-Sn alloys

Tuan T. Tran^*, Quentin Hudspeth, Yining Liu, Lachlan A. Smillie, Buguo Wang, Renaud A. Bruce, Jay Mathews, Jeffrey M. Warrender, J. S. Williams

^*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

9 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Direct-bandgap germanium-tin (Ge-Sn) alloys are highly sought-after materials for applications in silicon photonic integrated circuits. Other than crystal quality, two main factors determine the transition from the indirect to direct bandgap: the high Sn concentration and the strain relaxation in the materials. Using ion implantation and pulsed laser melting, we demonstrate a fully-relaxed Ge-Sn alloy with a Sn concentration of 6at.%. This concentration is at least 10 times higher than the equilibrium solubility of Sn in Ge. Cross-sectional transmission electron microscopy shows unconventional threading-like defects in the film as the mechanism for the strain relaxation. Due to the high degree of strain relaxation and the good crystal quality, photoluminescence could be obtained from the samples to examine the indirect-direct bandgap transition in the alloys.

Original language	English
Article number	114702
Journal	Materials Science and Engineering: B
Volume	262
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.mseb.2020.114702
Publication status	Published - Dec 2020

Access to Document

10.1016/j.mseb.2020.114702

Cite this

@article{2e8b9519a69842a69a744b6fd7d01278,

title = "Ion beam synthesis and photoluminescence study of supersaturated fully-relaxed Ge-Sn alloys",

abstract = "Direct-bandgap germanium-tin (Ge-Sn) alloys are highly sought-after materials for applications in silicon photonic integrated circuits. Other than crystal quality, two main factors determine the transition from the indirect to direct bandgap: the high Sn concentration and the strain relaxation in the materials. Using ion implantation and pulsed laser melting, we demonstrate a fully-relaxed Ge-Sn alloy with a Sn concentration of 6at.%. This concentration is at least 10 times higher than the equilibrium solubility of Sn in Ge. Cross-sectional transmission electron microscopy shows unconventional threading-like defects in the film as the mechanism for the strain relaxation. Due to the high degree of strain relaxation and the good crystal quality, photoluminescence could be obtained from the samples to examine the indirect-direct bandgap transition in the alloys.",

keywords = "Germanium-tin alloys, Ion-beam synthesis, Non-equilibrium annealing, Silicon photonic materials, Supersaturated doping",

author = "Tran, {Tuan T.} and Quentin Hudspeth and Yining Liu and Smillie, {Lachlan A.} and Buguo Wang and Bruce, {Renaud A.} and Jay Mathews and Warrender, {Jeffrey M.} and Williams, {J. S.}",

note = "Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2020 Elsevier B.V.",

year = "2020",

month = dec,

doi = "10.1016/j.mseb.2020.114702",

language = "English",

volume = "262",

journal = "Materials Science and Engineering: B",

issn = "0921-5107",

publisher = "Elsevier Ltd.",

}

TY - JOUR

T1 - Ion beam synthesis and photoluminescence study of supersaturated fully-relaxed Ge-Sn alloys

AU - Tran, Tuan T.

AU - Hudspeth, Quentin

AU - Liu, Yining

AU - Smillie, Lachlan A.

AU - Wang, Buguo

AU - Bruce, Renaud A.

AU - Mathews, Jay

AU - Warrender, Jeffrey M.

AU - Williams, J. S.

PY - 2020/12

Y1 - 2020/12

N2 - Direct-bandgap germanium-tin (Ge-Sn) alloys are highly sought-after materials for applications in silicon photonic integrated circuits. Other than crystal quality, two main factors determine the transition from the indirect to direct bandgap: the high Sn concentration and the strain relaxation in the materials. Using ion implantation and pulsed laser melting, we demonstrate a fully-relaxed Ge-Sn alloy with a Sn concentration of 6at.%. This concentration is at least 10 times higher than the equilibrium solubility of Sn in Ge. Cross-sectional transmission electron microscopy shows unconventional threading-like defects in the film as the mechanism for the strain relaxation. Due to the high degree of strain relaxation and the good crystal quality, photoluminescence could be obtained from the samples to examine the indirect-direct bandgap transition in the alloys.

AB - Direct-bandgap germanium-tin (Ge-Sn) alloys are highly sought-after materials for applications in silicon photonic integrated circuits. Other than crystal quality, two main factors determine the transition from the indirect to direct bandgap: the high Sn concentration and the strain relaxation in the materials. Using ion implantation and pulsed laser melting, we demonstrate a fully-relaxed Ge-Sn alloy with a Sn concentration of 6at.%. This concentration is at least 10 times higher than the equilibrium solubility of Sn in Ge. Cross-sectional transmission electron microscopy shows unconventional threading-like defects in the film as the mechanism for the strain relaxation. Due to the high degree of strain relaxation and the good crystal quality, photoluminescence could be obtained from the samples to examine the indirect-direct bandgap transition in the alloys.

KW - Germanium-tin alloys

KW - Ion-beam synthesis

KW - Non-equilibrium annealing

KW - Silicon photonic materials

KW - Supersaturated doping

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85089727931&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1016/j.mseb.2020.114702

DO - 10.1016/j.mseb.2020.114702

M3 - Article

SN - 0921-5107

VL - 262

JO - Materials Science and Engineering: B

JF - Materials Science and Engineering: B

M1 - 114702

ER -

Ion beam synthesis and photoluminescence study of supersaturated fully-relaxed Ge-Sn alloys

Abstract

Access to Document

Other files and links

Fingerprint

Cite this