Integration of germanium waveguide photodetectors for intrachip optical interconnects

The main characteristics of germanium photodetectors integrated in silicon-on-insulator optical waveguides for intrachip optical interconnects are presented. The epitaxial Ge layers are grown on Si(001) by reduced-pressure chemical vapor deposition. The optical absorption of Ge layers is recorded from 1.2 to 1.7 µm and linked to the layer strain. The responsivity of an interdigitated metal-semiconductor-metal Ge photodetector has been measured. Light coupling from a slightly etched submicron rib silicon-on-insulator waveguide to a Ge photodetector is studied for two configurations: butt coupling and vertical coupling.