  Photonic integrated circuits require photodetectors that operate at room
temperature with sensitivity at telecom wavelengths and are suitable for
integration with planar complementary-metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS)
technology. Silicon hyperdoped with deep-level impurities is a promising
material for silicon infrared detectors because of its strong room-temperature
photoresponse in the short-wavelength infrared region caused by the creation of
an impurity band within the silicon band gap. In this work, we present the
first experimental demonstration of lateral Te-hyperdoped Si PIN photodetectors
operating at room temperature in the optical telecom bands. We provide a
detailed description of the fabrication process, working principle, and
performance of the photodiodes, including their key figure of merits. Our
results are promising for the integration of active and passive photonic
elements on a single Si chip, leveraging the advantages of planar CMOS
technology.
