Stimulation of 700–900 nm wavelength optical emission from Si AMLEDs and coupling into Si3N4 waveguides using a RF silicon integrated circuit process

Abstract

Stimulation of 700 and 900 nm optical emissions in a two junction monolithically integrated circuit silicon avalanche mode Si light emitting device have been achieved, based on some first iteration modelling and realization of first iteration experimental results. Previously only stimulation of 600 nm emission intensities had been realized. The current devices are of micron dimension and were realized using a standard Si integrated circuit design in a 0.35-micron RF design process. Evidence has been obtained that 700 nm and 900 nm in Si AM LEDs occur primarily through direct intra-band exited electron and exited hole relaxation phenomena and short-range phonon assisted inter-band transitions. Indications have been obtained that this occurs when energetic electrons relax in a high impurity density charge scattering environment. The devices operate at 8–10 V, 1 mA–10 mA regimes. Emission intensities of up to 1000 nW·µm−2 at the point of source have been derived. The developed technologies can find diverse new applications for on-chip electro-optic applications, particularly for coupling optical radiation laterally in silicon nitride-based waveguides in silicon integrated circuitry.