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

• 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.

Subject headings

NATURVETENSKAP  -- Fysik -- Den kondenserade materiens fysik (hsv//swe)

NATURAL SCIENCES  -- Physical Sciences -- Condensed Matter Physics (hsv//eng)

Keyword

Germanium-tin alloys

Supersaturated doping

Ion-beam synthesis

Non-equilibrium annealing

Silicon photonic materials

Publication and Content Type

ref (subject category)

art (subject category)