Germanium for high performance MOSFETs and optical interconnects

It is believed that to continue the scaling of silicon CMOS innovative device structures and new materials have to be created in order to continue the historic progress in information processing and transmission. Recently germanium has emerged as a viable candidate to augment Si for CMOS and optoelectronic applications. In this work we will first review recent results on growth of thin and thick films of Ge on Si, technology for appropriate cleaning of Ge, surface passivation using high-κ dielectrics, and metal induced crystallization of amorphous Ge and dopant activation. Next we will review application of Ge for high performance MOSFETs. Innovative Si/Ge MOS heterostructures will be described with high on current and low off currents. Finally we will describe optical detectors and modulators for on-chip and off-chip interconnect. Successful integration of Ge on Si should allow continued scaling of silicon CMOS to below 22 nm node. ©The Electrochemical Society.