Short-wavelength infrared photodetector on Si employing strain-induced growth of very tall InAs nanowire arrays.

One-dimensional crystal growth enables the epitaxial integration of III-V compound semiconductors onto a silicon (Si) substrate despite significant lattice mismatch. Here, we report a short-wavelength infrared (SWIR, 1.4-3 µm) photodetector that employs InAs nanowires (NWs) grown on Si. The wafer-scale epitaxial InAs NWs form on the Si substrate without a metal catalyst or pattern assistance; thus, the growth is free of metal-atom-induced contaminations, and is also cost-effective. InAs NW arrays with an average height of 50 µm provide excellent anti-reflective and light trapping properties over a wide wavelength range. The photodetector exhibits a peak detectivity of 1.9 × 10(8) cm · Hz(1/2)/W for the SWIR band at 77 K and operates at temperatures as high as 220 K. The SWIR photodetector on the Si platform demonstrated in this study is promising for future low-cost optical sensors and Si photonics.

Structural and optical properties of the In(x)Ga(1-x)As nanowires grown on SiO2 via vapor-liquid-solid method.

We report the crystal growth of the In(x)Ga(1-x)As nanowires (NWs) on SiO2 substrate using metal organic chemical vapor deposition. Au nanoparticles which are disintegrated from thin Au film have been used as a catalyst for the vapor-liquid-solid growth. Electron microscopy characterization is performed to investigate the structural properties of the In(x)Ga(1-x)As NW. The In(x)Ga(1-x)As NW grown under an optimal condition has a single-crystal wurtzite structure without any misfit dislocation or stacking fault. Strong room temperature photoluminescence peaks are observed from In(x)Ga(1-x)As NWs passivated by GaAs. Very low light reflectance is measured at the NW surface in the wavelength range from 250 to 1200 nm. The single crystal In(x)Ga(1-x)As NWs are applicable to the various electrical and optical devices.