HIGH PERFORMANCE SIGEC/SI NEAR-IR ELECTROOPTIC MODULATORS AND PHOTODETECTORS.

Numerical simulations are performed for SiGeC/Si electrooptic modulators and photodetectors operating at near-IR wavelengths. The addition of carbon provides the ability to lattice match layers with high germanium composition to silicon, which is shown to allow structures with a substantial increase in the optical confinement factor. In addition, SiGeC/Si heterostructures provide strong confinement of large electron and hole concentrations. The large optical confinement factor and strong carrier confinement enable broadband electrooptic modulators with sub-100 μm lengths and switching times below 0.5 ns with 25 mA current as well as photodetectors with quantum efficiencies as high as 90% for 300 μm length. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]