Lateral photoconductivity of Ge/Si heterostructures with Ge quantum dots

The spectral dependences of the lateral photoconductivity of Ge/Si heterostructures with Ge quantum dots are studied. The photoresponse of the Ge/Si structures with Ge nanoclusters is detected in the range 1.0–1.1 eV at T = 290 K, whereas the photocurrent in the single-crystal Si substrate is found to be markedly suppressed. This result can be attributed to the effect of elastic strains induced in the structure on the optical absorption of Si. At temperatures below 120 K, the heterostructures exhibit photosensitivity in the spectral range 0.4–1.1 eV, in which the Si single crystal is transparent. The photocurrent in this range is most likely due to the transitions of holes from the ground states localized in the quantum dots to the extended states of the valence band.