Integration of InP membranes with embedded InGaAs quantum wells on silicon-on-insulator by tunnel epitaxy

Yan, Zhao, Grieb, Tim, Zhang, Weiwei, Ebert, Martin, Krause, Florian F., Reed, Graham T, Thomson, David, Rosenauer, Andreas and Li, Qiang ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5257-7704 2026. Integration of InP membranes with embedded InGaAs quantum wells on silicon-on-insulator by tunnel epitaxy. Nanotechnology 10.1088/1361-6528/ae4985

PDF - Accepted Post-Print Version Available under License Creative Commons Attribution. Download (1MB)

Abstract

Integration of III–V membranes on silicon-on-insulator (SOI) substrates offers a promising route to provide on-chip gain for dense silicon (Si) photonics. Here, we present a materials study of InP membranes with embedded InGaAs multi-quantum wells (MQWs) directly grown above the Si waveguide layer via a tunnel epitaxy process. Cross-sectional scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM), combining differential phase contrast (DPC) imaging, energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX), and atomic-column-based strain analysis, confirms high-quality laterally grown InP membranes with defects confined to the V-groove region and elucidates facet-dependent MQW formation on (111)A, (110), and (111)B facets. Both EDX and strain analysis consistently reveal high-In, highly compressively strained (110) QWs (>80% In), and no misfit dislocations are observed at InP/InGaAs interfaces. In addition, under identical precursor ratios, ultra-thin QWs incorporate a higher indium composition than a thick bulk InGaAs region. These results provide practical guidance for designing efficient active regions in future electrically injected, Si-waveguide-coupled InP membrane lasers on SOI.

Item Type:	Article
Date Type:	Published Online
Status:	In Press
Schools:	Schools > Physics and Astronomy
Publisher:	IOP Publishing
ISSN:	0957-4484
Date of First Compliant Deposit:	25 February 2026
Date of Acceptance:	24 February 2026
Last Modified:	25 Feb 2026 11:46
URI:	https://orca.cardiff.ac.uk/id/eprint/185268

Actions (repository staff only)

Edit Item