Ibrahim Kimukin

Solar-blind AlGaN-based p-i-n photodiodes with low dark current and high detectivity

We report solar-blind Al/sub x/Ga/sub 1-x/N-based heterojunction p-i-n photodiodes with low dark current and high detectivity. After the p+ GaN cap layer was recess etched, measured dark current was below 3 fA for reverse bias values up to 6 V. The device responsivity increased with reverse bias and reached 0.11 A/W at 261 nm under 10-V reverse bias. The detectors exhibited a cutoff around 283 nm, and a visible rejection of four orders of magnitude at zero bias. Low dark current values led to a high differential resistance of 9.52/spl times/10/sup 15/ /spl Omega/. The thermally limited detectivity of the devices was calculated as 4.9/spl times/10/sup 14/ cm/spl middot/Hz/sup 1/2/W/sup -1/.

High-performance solar-blind photodetectors based on Al/sub x/Ga/sub 1-x/N heterostructures

Design, fabrication, and characterization of high-performance Al/sub x/Ga/sub 1-x/N-based photodetectors for solar-blind applications are reported. Al/sub x/Ga/sub 1-x/N heterostructures were designed for Schottky, p-i-n, and metal-semiconductor-metal (MSM) photodiodes. The solar-blind photodiode samples were fabricated using a microwave compatible fabrication process. The resulting devices exhibited extremely low dark currents. Below 3fA, leakage currents at 6-V reverse bias were measured on p-i-n samples. The excellent current-voltage (I--V) characteristics led to a detectivity performance of 4.9/spl times/10/sup 14/ cmHz/sup 1/2/W/sup -1/. The MSM devices exhibited photoconductive gain, while Schottky and p-i-n samples displayed 0.09 and 0.11 A/W peak responsivity values at 267 and 261 nm, respectively. A visible rejection of 2/spl times/10/sup 4/ was achieved with Schottky samples. High-speed measurements at 267 nm resulted in fast pulse responses with greater than gigahertz bandwidths. The fastest devices were MSM photodiodes with a maximum 3-dB bandwidth of 5.4 GHz.

Solar-blind AlGaN-based Schottky photodiodes with low noise and high detectivity

We report on the design, fabrication, and characterization of solar-blind Schottky photodiodes with low noise and high detectivity. The devices were fabricated on n−/n+ AlGaN/GaN heterostructures using a microwave compatible fabrication process. True solar-blind operation with a cutoff wavelength of ∼274 nm was achieved with AlxGa1−xN (x=0.38) absorption layer. The solar-blind detectors exhibited <1.8 nA/cm2 dark current density in the 0–25 V reverse bias regime, and a maximum quantum efficiency of 42% around 267 nm. The photovoltaic detectivity of the devices were in excess of 2.6×1012 cm Hz1/2/W, and the detector noise was 1/f limited with a noise power density less than 3×10−29 A2/Hz at 10 kHz.

High-speed visible-blind GaN-based indium–tin–oxide Schottky photodiodes

We have fabricated GaN-based high-speed ultraviolet Schottky photodiodes using indium–tin–oxide (ITO) Schottky contacts. Before device fabrication, the optical transparency of thin ITO films in the visible-blind spectrum was characterized via transmission and reflection measurements. The devices were fabricated on n−/n+ GaN epitaxial layers using a microwave compatible fabrication process. Our ITO Schottky photodiode samples exhibited a maximum quantum efficiency of 47% around 325 nm. Time-based pulse-response measurements were done at 359 nm. The fabricated devices exhibited a rise time of 13 ps and a pulse width of 60 ps.

InGaAs-based high-performance p-i-n photodiodes

We have designed, fabricated, and characterized high-speed and high-efficiency InGaAs-based p-i-n photodetectors with a resonant cavity enhanced structure. The devices were fabricated by a microwave-compatible process. By using a postprocess recess etch, we tuned the resonance wavelength from 1605 to 1558 nm while keeping the peak efficiencies above 60%. The maximum quantum efficiency was 66% at 1572 nm which was in good agreement with our theoretical calculations. The photodiode had a linear response up to 6-mW optical power, where we obtained 5-mA photocurrent at 3-V reverse bias. The photodetector had a temporal response of 16 ps at 7-V bias. After system response deconvolution, the 3-dB bandwidth of the device was 31 GHz, which corresponds to a bandwidth-efficiency product of 20 GHz.

High-speed 90% Quantum-Efficiency p-i-n Photodiodes with a Resonance Wavelength Adjustable in the 795-835 nm Range

We report GaAs/AlGaAs-based high-speed, high-efficiency, resonant cavity enhanced p–i–n photodiodes. The devices were fabricated by using a microwave-compatible fabrication process. By using a postprocess recess etch, we tuned the resonance wavelength from 835 to 795 nm while keeping the peak efficiencies above 90%. The maximum quantum efficiency was 92% at a resonance wavelength of 823 nm. The photodiode had an experimental setup-limited temporal response of 12 ps. When the system response is deconvolved, the 3 dB bandwidth corresponds to 50 GHz, which is in good agreement with our theoretical calculations.

High-speed solar-blind photodetectors with indium-tin-oxide Schottky contacts

We report AlGaN/GaN-based high-speed solar-blind photodetectors with indium-tin-oxide Schottky contacts. Current–voltage, spectral responsivity, and high-frequency response characterizations were performed on the fabricated Schottky photodiodes. Low dark currents of <1 pA at 20 V reverse bias and breakdown voltages larger than 40 V were obtained. A maximum responsivity of 44 mA/W at 263 nm was measured, corresponding to an external quantum efficiency of 21%. True solar-blind detection was ensured with a cutoff wavelength of 274 nm. Time-based high-frequency measurements at 267 nm resulted in pulse responses with rise times and pulse-widths as short as 13 and 190 ps, respectively. The corresponding 3-dB bandwidth was calculated as 1.10 GHz.

High-speed InSb photodetectors on GaAs for mid-IR applications

We report p-i-n type InSb-based high-speed photodetectors grown on GaAs substrate. Electrical and optical properties of photodetectors with active areas ranging from 7.06/spl times/10/sup -6/ cm/sup 2/ to 2.25/spl times/10/sup -4/ cm/sup 2/ measured at 77 K and room temperature. Detectors had high zero-bias differential resistances, and the differential resistance area product was 4.5 /spl Omega/ cm/sup 2/. At 77 K, spectral measurements yielded high responsivity between 3 and 5 /spl mu/m with the cutoff wavelength of 5.33 /spl mu/m. The maximum responsivity for 80-/spl mu/m diameter detectors was 1.00/spl times/10/sup 5/ V/W at 4.35 /spl mu/m while the detectivity was 3.41/spl times/10/sup 9/ cm Hz/sup 1/2//W. High-speed measurements were done at room temperature. An optical parametric oscillator was used to generate picosecond full-width at half-maximum pulses at 2.5 /spl mu/m with the pump at 780 nm. 30-/spl mu/m diameter photodetectors yielded 3-dB bandwidth of 8.5 GHz at 2.5 V bias.

InSb high-speed photodetectors grown on GaAs substrate

We report InSb-based high-speed photodetectors grown on GaAs substrate. The p-i-n type photodetectors can operate at room temperature. Room-temperature dark current was 4 mA at 1 V reverse bias, and the differential resistance at zero bias was 65 Ω. At liquid nitrogen temperature, the dark current was 41 μA at 1 V reverse bias and the differential resistance at zero bias was 150 kΩ. Responsivity measurements were performed at 1.55 μm wavelength at room temperature. The responsivity increased with applied bias. At 0.6 V, responsivity was 1.3 A/W, where unity quantum efficiency was observed with internal gain. Time-based high-speed measurements were performed using a pulsed laser operating at 1.55 μm. The detectors showed electrical responses with 40 ps full width at half maximum, corresponding to a 3 dB bandwidth of 7.5 GHz.

45-GHz bandwidth-efficiency resonant-cavity-enhanced ITO-Schottky photodiodes

High-speed Schottky photodiodes suffer from low efficiency mainly due to the thin absorption layers and the semitransparent Schottky-contact metals. We have designed, fabricated and characterized high-speed and high-efficiency AlGaAs-GaAs-based Schottky photodiodes using transparent indium-tin-oxide Schottky contact material and resonant cavity enhanced detector structure. The measured devices displayed resonance peaks around 820 nm with 75% maximum peak efficiency and an experimental setup limited temporal response of 11 ps pulsewidth. The resulting 45-GHz bandwidth-efficiency product obtained from these devices corresponds to the best performance reported to date for vertically illuminated Schottky photodiodes.