Stark shift of the absorption spectra in Ge/Ge1-xSnx/Ge type-I single QW cell for mid-wavelength infra-red modulators

Abstract

For mid-wavelength infra-red (MWIR) modulation or detection applications, we propose α-Sn rich Ge/Ge1-xSnx/Ge a type-I single quantum wells (SQW) partially strain compensated on Ge1-ySny relaxed layers grown onto (0 0 1)-oriented Ge substrate. Such elementary cells with W-like potential profiles of conduction and valence bands have been modeled by solving the one-dimensional Schrödinger equation under an applied external electrical field. First, strain effects on electrons, heavy holes (hh) and light holes (lh) energy bands for strained/relaxed Ge1-xSnx/Ge1-ySny heterointerfaces are investigated using the model-solid theory in the whole ranges (0 ≤ x, y ≤ 1) of Sn compositions. From the obtained band-discontinuities, band gaps and effective masses, Ge1-ySny/Ge/Ge0.80Sn0.20/Ge/Ge1-ySny cells are computed as a function of the Ge0.80Sn0.20 well width for three compositions of the Ge1-ySny buffer layer (y = 0.05, 0.07 and 0.09) in order to get the optimum quantum confinement of electrons and holes levels while keeping a reasonable amount of averaged strain in the cell. The electric field effect on the absorption spectra is given. An absorption coefficient in the 6× to 3 × 103 cm-1 range is reasonably obtained for a SQW at room temperature with a rather large Stark shift of the direct transition between 0.46 and 0.38 eV (i.e., λ = 3.26-2.70 μm) at large external fields (50 kV/cm). These characteristics are attractive for the design of MWIR optical modulators.