Improved silicon light emission for reach- and punch-through devices in standard CMOS

A key requirement for the success of future microphotonic devices will be the ability to integrate such devices into current mainstream semiconductor technologies. The ability to create silicon-based light sources in a standard CMOS process is therefore very appealing. It is known that avalanche silicon LED efficiency can be increased using reach-and punch-through mechanisms. This paper reveals a technique for improving the operational performance of a silicon light source by increasing the external quantum efficiency and relaxing the separation requirements for the light source operating under the mentioned reach-or punch-through mechanisms in a standard unmodified local oxidation of silicon (LOCOS) CMOS process.