III–V semiconductor devices integrated with silicon

Abstract

The integration of III–V semiconductor devices with silicon is one of the most topical challenges in current electronic materials research. The combination has the potential to exploit the unique optical and electronic functionality of III–V technology with the signal processing capabilities and advanced low-cost volume production techniques associated with silicon. Key industrial drivers include the use of high mobility III–V channel materials (InGaAs, InAs, InSb) to extend the performance of Si CMOS, the unification of electronics and photonics by combining photonic components (GaAs, InP) with a silicon platform for next-generation optical interconnects and the exploitation of large-area silicon substrates and high-volume Si processing capabilities to meet the challenges of low-cost production, a challenge which is particularly important for GaN-based devices in both power management and lighting applications.The diverse nature of the III–V and Si device approaches, materials technologies and the distinct differences between industrial Si and III–V processing have provided a major barrier to integration in the past. However, advances over the last decade in areas such as die transfer, wafer fusion and epitaxial growth have promoted widespread renewed interest. It is now timely to bring some of these topics together in a special issue covering a range of approaches and materials providing a snapshot of recent progress across the field. The issue opens a paper describing a strategy for the epitaxial integration of photonic devices where Kataria et al describe progress in the lateral overgrowth of InP/Si. As an alternative, Benjoucef and Reithmaier report on the potential of InAs quantum dots grown direct onto Si surfaces whilst Sandall et al describe the properties of similar InAs quantum dots as an optical modulator device. As an alternative to epitaxial integration approaches, Yokoyama et al describe a wafer bonding approach using a buried oxide concept, Corbett et al describe the transfer printing and bonding of III–V die on to CMOS wafers and Dastjerdi et al describe the optical performance of free-standing InGaAsP tube optical cavities which may be transferred to silicon substrates. Finally, describing important recent progress on GaN-based devices Jiang et al describe their work on InGaN light-emitting diodes on Si (1 1 1) substrates, Wallis et al describe similar structures with the emphasis on x-ray methods for the control of AlGaN buffer layer strain, Kumar et al describe low leakage current, large-area Schottky barrier photodetectors on Si, whilst Soltani et al describe their recent progress on AlGaN/GaN high electron mobility transistors grown on (1 0 0) and (1 1 0) silicon substrates.Overall, we think that this special issue of Semiconductor Science and Technology provides a timely overview of progress and the opportunities in this exciting and important field. Finally, we would like to thank the IOP editorial staff, in particular Alice Malhador, for their support, and we would also like to thank all contributors for their efforts in making this special issue possible.