Integrated circuit comprising a waveguide having an energy band engineered superlattice

• US 7,279,699 B2
• Filed: 09/09/2004
• Issued: 10/09/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 06/26/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Atomera Incorporated
• Original Assignee: RJ Mears LLC (Atomera Incorporated)
• Inventors: Mears, Robert J., Stephenson, Robert John
• Primary Examiner(s): Healy; Brian
• Assistant Examiner(s): Anderson; Guy G
• Application Number:
  US10/937,071
• Publication Number:
  US 20050031247A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,125 Days
• Field of Search: 257/18, 257/19, 385/5, 385/131, 372/45.01, 372/45.011, 372/46.016, 438/508
• US Class Current: 257/15
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/823807 with a particular manufacturing method of the channel structures, e.g. channel implants, halo or pocket implants, or channel materials
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 29/1054 with a variation of the composition, e.g. channel with strained layer for increasing the mobility
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 29/152 with quantum effects only in vertical direction, i.e. layered structures with quantum effects solely resulting from vertical potential variation
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 29/155 Comprising only semiconductor materials H01L29/154 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 29/7833 with lightly doped drain or source extension, e.g. LDD MOSFET's; DDD MOSFET's for thin film transistors H01L29/78618

Abstract

An integrated circuit may include at least one active optical device and a waveguide coupled thereto. The waveguide may include a superlattice including a plurality of stacked groups of layers. Each group of layers of the superlattice may include a plurality of stacked base semiconductor monolayers defining a base semiconductor portion and an energy band-modifying layer thereon. The energy-band modifying layer may include at least one non-semiconductor monolayer constrained within a crystal lattice of adjacent base semiconductor portions.

Claims

1. An integrated circuit comprising:

at least one active optical device; and

a waveguide coupled to said at least one active optical device comprising a superlattice including a plurality of stacked groups of layers;

each group of layers of said superlattice comprising a plurality of stacked base semiconductor monolayers defining a base semiconductor portion and an energy band-modifying layer thereon, said energy-band modifying layer comprising at least one non-semiconductor monolayer constrained within a crystal lattice of adjacent base semiconductor portions, and at least some semiconductor atoms from opposing base semiconductor portions being chemically bound together with the chemical bonds traversing the at least one non-semiconductor monolayer therebetween.

2. The integrated circuit of claim 1 wherein said waveguide further comprises a layer on said superlattice.

3. The integrated circuit of claim 2 wherein said layer comprises an epitaxial silicon layer.

4. The integrated circuit of claim 1 wherein said superlattice has an increased thickness adjacent said at least one active optical device.

5. The integrated circuit of claim 1 wherein said at least one active optical device comprises an optical transmitter.

6. The integrated circuit of claim 1 wherein said at least one active optical device comprises an optical receiver.

7. The integrated circuit of claim 1 wherein said superlattice has a common energy band structure therein.

8. The integrated circuit of claim 1 wherein said superlattice has a higher charge carrier mobility than would otherwise be present without said at least one nonsemiconductor monolayer.

9. The integrated circuit of claim 1 wherein each base semiconductor portion comprises silicon.

10. The integrated circuit of claim 1 wherein each base semiconductor portion comprises germanium.

11. The integrated circuit of claim 1 wherein each energy band-modifying layer comprises oxygen.

12. The integrated circuit of claim 1 wherein each energy bandmodifying layer is a single monolayer thick.

13. The integrated circuit of claim 1 wherein each base semiconductor portion is less than eight monolayers thick.

14. The integrated circuit of claim 1 wherein said superlattice further has a substantially direct energy bandgap.

15. The integrated circuit of claim 1 wherein said superlattice further comprises a base semiconductor cap layer on an uppermost group of layers.

16. The integrated circuit of claim 1 wherein each energy band-modifying layer comprises a non-semiconductor selected from the group consisting of oxygen, nitrogen, fluorine, and carbon-oxygen.

17. An integrated circuit comprising:

at least one active optical device; and

a waveguide coupled to said at least one active optical device comprising a first layer comprising a superlattice including a plurality of stacked groups of layers, and a second layer on said first layer;

each group of layers of said superlattice comprising a plurality of stacked base semiconductor monolayers defining a base semiconductor portion and an energy band-modifying layer thereon, said energy-band modifying layer comprising at least one non-semiconductor monolayer constrained within a crystal lattice of adjacent base semiconductor portions, and said superlattice having a higher charge carrier mobility than would otherwise be present without said at least one non-semiconductor monolayer;

at least some semiconductor atoms from opposing base semiconductor portions being chemically bound together with the chemical bonds traversing the at least one non-semiconductor monolayer therebetween.

18. The integrated circuit of claim 17 wherein said first layer has an increased thickness adjacent said at least one active optical device.

19. The integrated circuit of claim 17 wherein said second layer comprises an epitaxial silicon layer.

20. The integrated circuit of claim 17 wherein said at least one active optical device comprises an optical transmitter.

21. The integrated circuit of claim 17 wherein said at least one active optical device comprises an optical receiver.

22. The integrated circuit of claim 17 wherein said superlattice has a common energy band structure therein.

23. The integrated circuit of claim 17 wherein each base semiconductor portion comprises silicon.

24. The integrated circuit of claim 17 wherein each base semiconductor portion comprises germanium.

25. The integrated circuit of claim 17 wherein each energy band-modifying layer comprises oxygen.

26. The integrated circuit of claim 17 wherein each energy bandmodifying layer is a single monolayer thick.

27. The integrated circuit of claim 17 wherein each base semiconductor portion is less than eight monolayers thick.

28. The integrated circuit of claim 17 wherein said superlattice further has a substantially direct energy bandgap.

29. The integrated circuit of claim 17 wherein said superlattice further comprises a base semiconductor cap layer on an uppermost group of layers.

30. The integrated circuit of claim 17 wherein each energy band-modifying layer comprises a non-semiconductor selected from the group consisting of oxygen, nitrogen, fluorine, and carbon-oxygen.