Room temperature operation of epitaxially grown Si/Si_0.5Ge_0.5/Si resonant interband tunneling diodes

Resonant interband tunneling diodes on silicon substrates are demonstrated using a Si/Si_0.5Ge_0.5/Si heterostructure grown by low temperature molecular beam epitaxy which utilized both a central intrinsic spacer and δ-doped injectors. A low substrate temperature of 370 °C was used during growth to ensure a high level of dopant incorporation. A B δ-doping spike lowered the barrier for holes to populate the quantum well at the valence band discontinuity, and an Sb δ-doping reduces the doping requirement of the n-type bulk Si by producing a deep n⁺ well. Samples studied from the as-grown wafers showed no evidence of negative differential resistance (NDR). The effect of postgrowth rapid thermal annealing temperature was studied on tunnel diode properties. Samples which underwent heat treatment at 700 and 800 °C for 1 min, in contrast, exhibited NDR behavior. The peak-to-valley current ratio (PVCR) and peak current density of the tunnel diodes were found to depend strongly on δ-doping placement and on the annealing conditions. PVCRs ranging up to 1.54 were measured at a peak current density of 3.2 kA/cm².