Computational design of direct-bandgap semiconductors that lattice-match silicon

Peihong Zhang, Vincent H. Crespi (), Eric Chang, Steven G. Louie and Marvin L. Cohen
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Peihong Zhang: The Pennsylvania State University, 104 Davey Lab
Vincent H. Crespi: The Pennsylvania State University, 104 Davey Lab
Eric Chang: University of California at Berkeley
Steven G. Louie: University of California at Berkeley
Marvin L. Cohen: University of California at Berkeley

Nature, 2001, vol. 409, issue 6816, 69-71

Abstract: Abstract Crystalline silicon is an indirect-bandgap semiconductor, making it an inefficient emitter of light. The successful integration of silicon-based electronics with optical components will therefore require optically active (for example, direct-bandgap) materials that can be grown on silicon with high-quality interfaces. For well ordered materials, this effectively translates into the requirement that such materials lattice-match silicon: lattice mismatch generally causes cracks and poor interface properties once the mismatched overlayer exceeds a very thin critical thickness. But no direct-bandgap semiconductor has yet been produced that can lattice-match silicon, and previously suggested structures1 pose formidable challenges for synthesis. Much recent work has therefore focused on introducing compliant transition layers between the mismatched components2,3,4. Here we propose a more direct solution to integrating silicon electronics with optical components. We have computationally designed two hypothetical direct-bandgap semiconductor alloys, the synthesis of which should be possible through the deposition of specific group-IV precursor molecules5,6 and which lattice-match silicon to 0.5–1% along lattice planes with low Miller indices. The calculated bandgaps (and hence the frequency of emitted light) lie in the window of minimal absorption in current optical fibres.

Date: 2001
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DOI: 10.1038/35051054

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