PIANIST : PhysIcAl properties of hybrid semimetal/semicoNductor III-V/Si maTerials

Context

The monolithic integration of III-V semiconductors having excellent structural and optical properties on the low cost and technology mature silicon substrate was long ago considered as an unattainable holy grail for many materials and devices scientists. The situation changed recently with the various demonstrations of efficient III-V/Si devices for photonics and energy. Among the defects generated during the III-V crystal growth on the Si substrate, the so-called Antiphase Boundaries (APBs), were always considered as non-radiative recombination centres, that limit the devices (e.g. lasers or photovoltaic cells) performances. Recent results obtained within the present PIANIST consortium seriously challenge this view. These results indicate that APBs are 2D vertical homovalent singularities that have many interesting fundamental physical properties which could be used for photonic devices or energy applications.

Goals

PIANIST is a fundamental PRC research project, which aims to control and explore the optoelectronic and transport properties of hybrid semimetals/semiconductors III-V/Si nano-materials, and assess their potential for ground-breaking industrial innovations in the field of photonics and green energy materials. The PIANIST project will focus on three main objectives:

• O1: Explore the unusual optoelectronic properties of homovalent singularities nanostructures in III-V semiconductors grown on Si.
• O2: Clarify the impact of the homovalent singularities and dislocations on the remarkable transport properties of III-V/Si epitaxial layers.
• O3: Propose new III-V/Si devices for photonics and energy taking advantage of the physical properties of these buried nano-materials.

Stages

The PIANIST project follows the ANR project ANTIPODE which ended in 2018, aiming at clarifying III-V/Si nucleation & growth processes.

Scientific production

Partners

Foton-OHM – IES – C2N – IPR

Coordinator

Charles CORNET (Foton-OHM)

Funding

ANR (485 k€)

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