SILICON INTEGRATED OPTOELECTRONCIS

Focus Fabrication of Si quantum wires for light emission studies Deposition and characterization of nanocrystalline Si on SiO2 thin films or nc-Si/SiO2 multilayers on Si for light emission studies Light emitting devices based on silicon quantum wires and dots in an SiO2 matrix Light emitting devices based on nanocrystalline on Si substrate (Si/CaF2) multiquantum wells Integration of the above devices on Si with Si-based wave-guieds and detectors. Integration of GaAs based light emitting devices on Si by using the wafer fusion technique.
2-D Silicon structures fabricated by lithography and highly anisotropic etching
Results and Accomplishments
The following worldwide original results were obtained within this activity:
A highly anisotropic silicon reactive ion etching process has been developed, based on a mixture of SF6/CF3 gases. Compared to the currently used chlorine chemistry, the above gases are environmentally friendly, and they are not corrosive. This process permits to etch silicon down to dimensions in the nanometer scale. It was used to fabricate silicon quantum wires of diameter 40-60 Å .
SEM images of silicon nanopilars produced by lithography and highly anisotropic RIE
Light emitting devices were fabricated based on silicon quantum wires obtained by lithography and etching. These devices open important new possibilities in silicon integrated optoelectonics.   Light emitting devices based on nanocrystalline Si on very thin SiO2 layers have been fabricated. Compared to porous silicon their main advantage is their stability with time. Intense room temperature light emission in the visible and near IR range was obtained.   Light emitting devices based on nanocrystalline (Si/CaF2) MQWs were developed.