Amorphous silicon photodetectors for optical integrated circuits

The first successful attempt to integrate on-chip optical waveguides based on oxidized porous silicon and amorphous silicon photodetectors have been demonstrated. Buried channel waveguides were performed by thermal oxidation of porous silicon. Amorphous silicon photodetectors were fabricated on the waveguides. Different device structures as well as their performance attributes are exhibited. The devices were demonstrated to have photocurrent characteristics promising for optoelectronic applications.