SiGeC: Band gaps, band offsets, optical properties, and potential applications Available to Purchase

Studying the structural and photoluminescence properties of pseudomorphic $Si1−yCy$ and $Si1−x−yGexCy$ multiple quantum well (QW) structures on (001) Si substrates offer a quantitative characterization of the band gap and band offset shifts caused by C alloying for $y<3%.$ The main features of $Si1−yCy$ alloys, which are a reduced lattice constant and a strong lowering of the conduction band energy, promise that C may serve as a counterpart to Ge in Si heteroepitaxy. The photoluminescent properties of $Si1−yCy$ and SiGeC QWs are comparable to SiGe. Novel pseudomorphic $Si1−yCy/SiGe$ coupled QW structures and $Si1−yCy/Ge$ quantum dot structures result in a strong enhancement of the photoluminescent efficiency. The ternary SiGeC material system offers a higher degree of freedom in strain and band edge engineering of structures. We focus on our recent results on $Si1−yCy$ and SiGeC QW layers embedded in Si concerning the growth by solid-source molecular beam epitaxy, structural properties, thermal stability, optical properties, and band offsets. The prospects of SiGeC alloys for realization of optoelectronic structures are discussed. First characteristics from 0.75 $μm$ $p$-channel modulation-doped field-effect transistor devices containing an active SiGeC layer demonstrate good electrical properties.