Imec

Imec Vzw

Universiteit Gent

Peter Verheyen

Joris Van Campenhout

Philippe Absil

Simone Severi

Geert Hellings

Rita Rooyackers

Wim Bogaerts

Denis Shamiryan

Ashwyn Srinivasan

George Bryce

A method is provided for fabricating an avalanche photodiode (APD) device, in particular, a separate absorption charge multiplication (SACM) APD device. The method includes forming a first contact region and a second contact region in a semiconductor layer. Further, the method includes forming a first mask layer above at least a first contact region of the semiconductor layer adjacent to the first contact region, and forming a second mask layer above and laterally overlapping the first mask layer. Thereby, a mask window is defined by the first mask layer and the second mask layer, and the first mask layer and/or the second mask layer are formed above a second contact region of the semiconductor layer adjacent to the second contact region. Further, the method includes forming a charge region in the semiconductor layer through the mask window, wherein the charge region is formed between the first contact region and the second contact region, and comprises forming an absorption region on the first contact region using the first mask layer. An APD fabricated by the disclosed method is also provided.

Method for fabricating an avalanche photodiode device

Semiconductor photonics devices for coupling radiation to a semiconductor waveguide are described. An example photonics device comprises a semiconductor-on-insulator substrate comprising a semiconductor substrate, a buried oxide layer positioned on top of the semiconductor substrate, and the semiconductor waveguide on top of the buried oxide layer to which radiation is to be coupled. The example device also comprises a grating coupler positioned on top of the buried oxide layer and configured for coupling incident radiation to the semiconductor waveguide. The semiconductor substrate has a recessed portion at the backside of the semiconductor substrate for receiving incident radiation to be coupled to the semiconductor waveguide via the backside of the semiconductor substrate and the grating coupler.

Radiation coupler

An avalanche photodetector element is disclosed for converting an optical signal to an electrical signal, comprising an input waveguide and a photodetector region, the photodetector region comprising at least one intrinsic region, at least one p-doped region and at least one n-doped region, the doped regions and the at least one intrinsic region forming at least one PIN-junction avalanche photodiode, the input waveguide and the photodetector region being arranged with respect to each other such that the optical signal conducted by the input waveguide is substantially conducted into the photodetector region to the PIN-junction avalanche photodiode, the PIN-junction avalanche photodiode converting the optical signal to an electrical signal, characterized in that the photodetector region comprises more than one p-doped region and/or n-doped region, whereby these p-doped regions and/or n-doped regions are physically arranged as an array.

Avalanche photodetector element

Disclosed are methods for co-integration of active and passive photonic devices on a planarized silicon-based photonics substrate. In one aspect, a method is disclosed that includes providing a planarized silicon-based photonics substrate comprising a silicon waveguide structure, depositing a dielectric layer over the planarized silicon-based photonics substrate, selectively etching the dielectric layer, thereby exposing at least a portion of the silicon waveguide structure, selectively etching the exposed portion of the silicon waveguide structure to form a template, using the silicon waveguide structure as a seed layer to selectively grow in the template a germanium layer that extends above the dielectric layer, and planarizing the germanium layer to form a planarized germanium layer, wherein the planarized germanium layer does not extend above the dielectric layer.

Co-integration of photonic devices on a silicon photonics platform

A method is disclosed comprising providing a substrate comprising an insulating material and a second semiconductor material and pre-treating the substrate with a plasma produced from a gas selected from the group consisting of a carbon-containing gas, a halogen-containing gas, and a carbon-and-halogen containing gas. The method further comprises depositing a first semiconductor material on the pre-treated substrate by chemical vapor deposition, where the first semiconductor material is selectively deposited on the second semiconductor material. The method may be used to manufacture a semiconducting device, such as a microelectromechanical system device, or to manufacture a semiconducting device feature, such as an interconnect.

Method for selective deposition of a semiconductor material

One inventive aspect relates to a method of selective epitaxial growth of source/drain (S/D) areas. The method includes providing a substrate having a first and a second substrate area, the first area including at least one gate stack. The method includes applying a poly-Si or poly-SiGe top layer on the substrate, the top layer being etchable with the same etch chemistry as the substrate. The method includes removing the poly-Si or poly-SiGe top layer from the first area selectively towards the poly-Si or poly-SiGe top layer in the second area. The method includes removing simultaneously the poly-Si or poly-SiGe top layer on the second area and at least a part of the substrate in the S/D areas of the first area selectively to the gate stack. The method includes performing a selective epitaxial growth of S/D areas in the first area.

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Nijlen, Belgium

Peter Verheyen