Si resonant interband tunnel diodes grown by low-temperature molecular-beam epitaxy

Si resonant interband tunnel diodes that demonstrate negative differential resistance at room temperature, with peak-to-valley current ratios greater than 2, are presented. The structures were grown using low-temperature (320 degrees C) molecular-beam epitaxy followed by a postgrowth anneal. After a 650 degrees C, 1 min rapid thermal anneal, the average peak-to-valley current ratio was 2.05 for a set of seven adjacent diodes. The atomic distribution profiles of the as-grown and annealed structures were obtained by secondary ion mass spectrometry. Based on these measurements, the band structure was modeled and current-voltage trends were predicted. These diodes are compatible with transistor integration. (C) 1999 American Institute of Physics. [S0003-6951(99)01935-X].