It is shown that electron tunneling through a potential barrier that separates two quantum dots of germanium leads to the splitting of electron states localized over spherical interfaces (a quantum dot – a silicon matrix). The dependence of the splitting values of the electron levels on the parameters of the nanosystem (the radius a quantum dot germanium, as well as the distance D between the surfaces of the quantum dots) is obtained. It has been shown that the splitting of electron levels in the QD chain of germanium causes the appearance of a zone of localized electron states, which is located in the bandgap of silicon matrix. It has been found that the motion of a charge-transport exciton along a chain of quantum dots of germanium causes an increase in photoconductivity in the nanosystem. It is shown that in the QD chain of germanium a zone of localized electron states arises, which is located in the bandgap of the silicon matrix. Such a zone of local electron states is caused by the splitting of electron levels in the QD chain of germanium. Moreover, the motion of an electron in the zone of localized electron states causes an increase in photoconductivity in the nanosystem. The effect of increasing photoconductivity can make a significant contribution in the process of converting the energy of the optical range in photosynthesizing nanosystems. It has been found that comparison of the splitting dependence of the exciton level Eех(а) at a certain radius a QD with the experimental value of the width of the zone of localized electron states arising in the QD chain of germanium, allows us to obtain the distances D between the QD surfaces. It has been shown that by changing the parameters of Ge/Si heterostructures with germanium QDs (radius of a germanium QD, as well as the distance D between the surfaces of the QDs), it is possible to vary the positions and widths of the zones of localized electronic states. The latter circumstance opens up new possibilities in the use of such nanoheterostructures as new structural materials for the creation of new nano-optoelectronics and nano-photosynthesizing devices of the infrared range.
The article, in the form of a minireview, reflects the results of theoretical, and partly experimental investigations of the electrical, optical and magnetic phenomena in three-dimensional, two-dimensional, one-dimensional and zero-dimensional systems and elements of device structures made of germanium, silicon, carbon and other chemical elements carried out at the Faculty of Physics of Belarusian State University over the past 25 years.
It is shown that in a germanium/silicon nanosystem with germanium quantum dots, the hole leaving the germanium quantum dot causes the appearance of the hole energy level in the bandgap energy in a silicon matrix. The dependences of the energies of the ground state of a hole and an electron are obtained as well as spatially indirect excitons on the radius of the germanium quantum dot and on the depth of the potential well for holes in the germanium quantum dot. It is found that as a result of a direct electron transition in real space between the electron level that is located in the conduction band of the silicon matrix and the hole level located in the bandgap of the silicon matrix, the radiative recombination intensity in the germanium/silicon nanosystem with germanium quantum dots increases significantly.
Optical photodetectors are at the forefront of photonic research since the rise of integrated optics. Photodetectors are fundamental building blocks for chip-scale optoelectronics, enabling conversion of light into an electrical signal. Such devices play a key role in many surging applications from communication and computation to sensing, biomedicine and health monitoring, to name a few. However, chip integration of optical photodetectors with improved performances is an on-going challenge for mainstream optical communications at near-infrared wavelengths. Here, we present recent advances in heterostructured silicon-germanium-silicon p-i-n photodetectors, enabling high-speed detection on a foundry-compatible monolithic platform.
Electron tunneling in the germanium/silicon heterostructure with germanium quantum dots: theory
