An 850 nm SiGe/Si HPT with a 4.12 GHz maximum optical transition frequency and 0.805A/W responsivity

Abstract : A 10 × 10 μm2 SiGe heterojunction bipolar photo-transistor (HPT) is fabricated using a commercial technological process of 80 GHz SiGe bipolar transistors (HBT). Its technology and structure are first briefly described. Its optimal opto-microwave dynamic performance is then analyzed versus voltage biasing conditions for opto-microwave continuous wave measurements. The optimal biasing points are then chosen in order to maximize the optical transition frequency (fTopt) and the opto-microwave responsivity of the HPT. An opto-microwave scanning near-field optical microscopy (OM-SNOM) is performed using these optimum bias conditions to localize the region of the SiGe HPT with highest frequency response. The OM-SNOM results are key to extract the optical coupling of the probe to the HPT (of 32.3%) and thus the absolute responsivity of the HPT. The effect of the substrate is also observed as it limits the extraction of the intrinsic HPT performance. A maximum optical transition frequency of 4.12 GHz and an absolute low frequency opto-microwave responsivity of 0.805A/W are extracted at 850 nm.