Waveguide-integrated microdisk light-emitting diode and photodetector based on Ge quantum dots.

Microdisk integrated with a bus waveguide is fabricated on silicon-on-insulator substrate containing Ge self-assembled quantum dots as active medium. The device is demonstrated to be operated as both light-emitting diode and photodetector. At forward bias, carriers are injected into the microdisk and light emission at 1.45-1.6 μm is extracted through the waveguide via microdisk-waveguide coupling. Sharp resonant peaks with Q-factor as high as 1350 are obtained in the electroluminescence spectra, corresponding to whispering gallery modes of the microdisk. At reverse bias, the device functions as a resonant cavity enhanced photodetector with wavelength-selective photo-response. The photo-current at resonant wavelength of 1533.65 nm is 50 times larger than that at non-resonant wavelength. The dark current density of the photodetector is as low as 0.29 mA/cm2 up to -10 V bias and the peak responsivity is 5.645 mA/W.