Devices, systems, and methods for light emission and detection using amorphous silicon
Amorphous silicon devices, systems, and related methods are described herein. An example method for fabricating a thin film with light-emitting or light-detecting capability can include depositing a thin film of amorphous silicon on a wafer such that crystalline defects are distributed throughout the thin film. Additionally, an example photonic device can include a p-doped region and an n-doped region formed on a wafer, and a resonator structure formed on the wafer. The resonator structure can be formed from amorphous silicon and can be arranged between the p-doped and n-doped regions to form a PIN junction. Optionally, the photonic device can be incorporated into a monolithic integrated optical system.
1. A method for fabricating a thin film with light-emitting or light detecting capability, comprising:
depositing a thin film of amorphous silicon on a wafer, wherein crystalline defects are distributed throughout the thin film, and wherein the thin film with the crystalline defects is configured to exhibit luminescence enhancement at a wavelength greater than a bandgap wavelength of crystalline silicon.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the thin film has a thickness greater than about 50 nanometers (nm).
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the crystalline defects are distributed greater than 50 nm from a surface of the thin film.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the thin film is deposited using a low temperature plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (LT-PECVD) process.
5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising patterning and etching a resonator structure from the thin film.
6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the resonator structure is at least one of a ring resonator or a band-edge resonator.
7. The method of claim 5 , wherein the resonator structure is configured to exhibit luminescence enhancement at a wavelength greater than about 1,100 nm.
8. The method of claim 7 , wherein the resonator structure is configured to exhibit luminescence enhancement across wavelengths from about 1,260 nm to about 1,660 nm.
9. A photonic device, comprising:
a p-doped region and an n-doped region formed on a wafer; and
a resonator structure formed on the wafer, the resonator structure comprising a thin film of amorphous silicon, wherein the resonator structure is arranged between the p-doped and n-doped regions to form a PIN junction, wherein crystalline defects are distributed throughout the thin film, and wherein the film with the crystalline defects is configured to exhibit luminescence enhancement at a wavelength greater than a bandgap wavelength of crystalline silicon.
10. The photonic device of claim 9 , wherein the thin film has a thickness greater than about 50 nanometers (nm).
11. The photonic device of claim 9 , wherein the crystalline defects are distributed greater than 50 nm from a surface of the thin film.
12. The photonic device of claim 9 , wherein the resonator structure is at least one of a ring resonator or a band-edge resonator.
13. The photonic device of claim 9 , wherein the resonator structure is configured for Q/V scaling.
14. The photonic device of claim 13 , wherein the resonator structure is a one-row, two-row, or multi-row band-edge resonator.
15. The photonic device of claim 9 , wherein the resonator structure is configured to emit light when a forward bias is applied across the PIN junction.
16. The photonic device of claim 15 , wherein the resonator structure is configured to emit light in-plane with respect to the wafer.
17. The photonic device of claim 15 , wherein the resonator structure is configured to exhibit luminescence enhancement at a wavelength greater than about 1,100 nm.
18. The photonic device of claim 17 , wherein the resonator structure is configured to exhibit luminescence enhancement across wavelengths from about 1,260 nm to about 1,660 nm.
19. The photonic device of claim 9 , wherein the resonator structure is configured to detect light when a reverse bias is applied across the PIN junction.