Germanium-Silicon Strained Layers and Heterostructures

Biaxial strain in coherent GeSi layers grown on Si substrates provides a powerful tool for tailoring bandgaps and band offsets. Extremely high electron and hole mobilities have been obtained in modulation-doped GeSistrained layer heterostructures. Ultra-high-speed Heterojunction Bipolar Transistors and MODFETs and long wavelength (1 to 20 um) IR Detectors have been fabricated using these layers. Quantum wells, ultra-thin period superlattices, and quantum dots can also be fabricated using the strained layers. These devices were previously implemented using III-V semiconductors. Now they can be fabricated using existing Si technology, which is mature and reliable. GeSi strained layer technology has made it possible tomanufacture monolithic Si integrated circuits containing heterojunction devices. Jains monograph, the first of its kind, covers the fundamental physics of strained layers, theory, design, and characteristics of the GeSi heterostructure devices.Jain, Suresh C. is the author of 'Germanium-Silicon Strained Layers and Heterostructures' with ISBN 9780120145980 and ISBN 0120145987.