Grant: Alliance Grants

The proposed research aims to revolutionize semiconductor technology by developing innovative methods for depositing crystalline materials onto substrates of a different kind or structure. This process, also known as "heteroepitaxy", holds the potential for significant cost reductions and the integration of diverse materials onto a single platform in a variety of applications. This Project focuses on the field of Short Wavelength InfraRed (SWIR) sensors. Despite previous attempts to achieve commercial grade heterointegration of III-V semiconductor-based technologies on other substrates like Si at wafer scale, no widely adopted method exists in the industry; the project proposes two promising methods: utilizing heat treated, nanoporous regions within crystals to 1) facilitate wafer-scale separation and transfer, or (2) to interact with dislocations and stimulate their recombination to prevent their emergence towards the surface, enabling low defect epitaxial deposition. The project's main objectives are to provide the industrial partners with knowledge about the proposed methods, demonstrate the fabrication of a performing SWIR device on a large diameter substrate, and facilitate the transfer of fabrication methods towards factory environments. A positive outcome would have a significant impact on the semiconductor industry, particularly in integrating heteroepitaxially grown devices on large wafers such as Si. While previous attempts have been made using various techniques, none have combined device performance preservation with a low-cost, scalable process compatible with Si-based fabs. The proposed method using nanometer-scale porous structures in Germanium (Ge) represents a critical step towards commercializing fully integrated SWIR devices and establishing a supply chain between collaborating companies. The method also offers the possibility of creating a circular economy in the germanium substrate market, that will include the recycling of material within the supply chain.