Light Emitting Devices in Si CMOS and RF Bipolar Integrated Circuits

ABSTRACT

In this article, we discuss the emission of visible light (400–900 nm) by a monolithically integrated silicon p-n junction under reverse bias. Silicon light emitting devices (Si-LEDs) could be designed and realized utilizing the standard complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) technology. Increased electroluminescence from the three-terminal MOS-like structure is observed, with the approach of carrier energy and momentum engineering design. Because Si-LEDs, waveguides, and photodetectors (Si) can be integrated on a single chip, a small microphotonic system could be realized in the CMOS integrated circuitry standard platform. The results can be substantially utilized for realizing a complete on-chip optical link.

KEYWORDS:

• CMOS integrated circuit technology
• silicon photonics
• Si light emitting devices

ACKNOWLEDGMENT

We are grateful to the anonymous reviewers for their helpful comments.

FUNDING

This work is sponsored by the National Natural Science Foundation of China under Contract 61540013, the Open Foundation of State Key Laboratory of Electronic Thin Films and Integrated Devices under Contract KFJJ201508, the Scientific Research Foundation for the Returned Overseas Chinese Scholars, Ministry of Education, China, the South Africa National Research Foundation Grant FA200604110043, the Calit2 Fellowship, and a Key International Collaboration Grant KSC 69798 in South Africa.

Additional information

Funding

This work is sponsored by the National Natural Science Foundation of China under Contract 61540013, the Open Foundation of State Key Laboratory of Electronic Thin Films and Integrated Devices under Contract KFJJ201508, the Scientific Research Foundation for the Returned Overseas Chinese Scholars, Ministry of Education, China, the South Africa National Research Foundation Grant FA200604110043, the Calit2 Fellowship, and a Key International Collaboration Grant KSC 69798 in South Africa.

Notes on contributors

Kaikai Xu

Kaikai Xu is an Associate Professor with the University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, China. Since December 2014, he is a Distinguished Professor (1000-Talents Program) of Sichuan Province, China. His research interest includes optoelectronic devices and analog CMOS IC design. As an international journal editor, he serves for: Journal of Optoelectronics and Advanced Materials (SCI), Optical and Quantum Electronics (SCI), Journal of Nanophotonics (SCI), Journal of the Society for Information Display (SCI), and Microelectronics Journal (SCI). Prof. Xu is also a member of the IEEE Electron Devices Society Optoelectronic Devices Committee.

Kingsley A. Ogudo

Kingsley A. Ogudo received the NDip, N.H.D., and B.Tech. degrees in electrical and electronics engineering from Federal Polytechnic, Nigeria, and the M.Tech. degree in telecommunications technology from the Tshwane University of Technology (TUT), South Africa, in 2010. He is currently a Lecturer with the University of South Africa. He was a student of Prof. L. W. Snyman.

Jean-Luc Polleux

Jean-Luc Polleux received the Diplôme d’ingénieur degree in microelectronic from ENSEIRB, Bordeaux, France, in 1997, the D.E.A. degree in electronic and telecommunications from the University of Bordeaux, France, in 1997, and the Ph.D. degree in optomicrowave field from CNAM, Paris, in 2001. He is currently an Associate Professor with ESIEE-Paris, Université Paris-Est Marne-la-Vallée, France, and the joint laboratory ESYCOM.

Carlos Viana

Carlos Viana was born in Spain in 1985. He received the master’s/Diplôme d’ingénieur degree in microelectronic from ESIEE-Paris, Université Paris-Est Marne-la-Vallée, France, and the Joint Laboratory ESYCOM, in 2011. He is currently a Post-Doctoral Student and Laboratory Assistant. He was a student of Prof. J.-L. Polleux.

Zhengfei Ma

Zhengfei Ma received the B.S. degree in engineering from the University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, China, in June 2015, where he is currently working toward the M.S. degree in microelectronic under Prof. K. Xu’s guidance. His research interest includes integrated circuit design and integrated system.

Zebin Li

Zebin Li received the B.S. degree from the National University of Defense Technology, Changsha, China, in June 2013. He is currently working toward the M.S. degree in microelectronic under Prof. K. Xu’s guidance at the University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, China.

Qi Yu

Qi Yu is a Professor and the Vice Dean at the School of Microelectronics and Solid-State Electronics, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chenghua, China, and the Director of the MICS Lab in the same school. He also performed research as a SeniorVisiting Scholar with IMEC, Belgium, in 2007. His research interests include semiconductor devices and circuits design.

Guannpyng Li

Guannpyng Li is a Professor at the University of California, Irvine, CA, USA, with appointments in three departments: Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, Chemical Engineering and Materials Science, and Biomedical Engineering. He also serves as the Division Director of the California Institute for Telecommunications and Information Technology and the Director of the Integrated Nanosystems Research Facility at The Henry Samueli School of Engineering.

Lukas W. Snyman

Lukas W. Snyman was born in Port Elizabeth, South Africa, in 1952. He received the Ph.D. degree in semiconductor physics from the University of Port Elizabeth, South Africa, in 1987. He was an Associate Professor with the University of Pretoria and subsequently a Professor with the Tshwane Technical University of Technology (TUT) from 1990 to 2010. He is currently with the University of South Africa in Florida, Johannesburg.