Zero biased Ge-on-Si photodetector with a bandwidth of 4.72 GHz at 1550 nm

High quality Ge was epitaxially grown on Si using ultrahigh vacuum/chemical vapor deposition (UHV/CVD). This paper demonstrates efficient germanium-on-silicon p-i-n photodetectors with 0.8 mu m Ge, with responsivities as high as 0.38 and 0.21 A/W at 1.31 and 1.55 mu m, respectively. The dark current density is 0.37 mA/cm(2) and 29.4 mA/cm(2) at 0 V and a reverse bias of 0.5 V. The detector with a diameter of 30 mu m, a 3 dB-bandwidth of 4.72 GHz at an incident wavelength of 1550 nm and zero external bias has been measured. At a reverse bias of 3 V, the bandwidth is 6.28 GHz.

National High-Technology Research and Development Program of China 2006AA03Z415 Major State Basic Program of China 2007CB613404 National Natural Science Foundation of China 60676005 Project supported by the National High-Technology Research and Development Program of China (Grant No 2006AA03Z415), the Major State Basic Program of China (Grant No 2007CB613404), and the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No 60676005).