J. L. Pau

Hole-initiated multiplication in back-illuminated GaN avalanche photodiodes

Avalanche p-i-n photodiodes were fabricated on AlN templates for back illumination. Structures with different intrinsic layer thicknesses were tested. A critical electric field of 2.73MV∕cm was estimated from the variation of the breakdown voltage with thickness. From the device response under back and front illumination and the consequent selective injection of holes and electrons in the junction, ionization coefficients were obtained for GaN. The hole ionization coefficient was found to be higher than the electron ionization coefficient as predicted by theory. Excess multiplication noise factors were also calculated for back and front illumination, and indicated a higher noise contribution for electron injection.

Back-illuminated separate absorption and multiplication GaN avalanche photodiodes

The performance of back-illuminated avalanche photodiodes with separate absorption and multiplication regions is presented. Devices with an active area of 225μm2 show a maximum multiplication gain of 41 200. The calculation of the noise equivalent power yields a minimum value of 3.3×10−14WHz−1∕2 at a gain of 3000, increasing to 2.0×10−13WHz−1∕2 at a gain of 41 200. The broadening of the response edge has been analyzed as a function of bias.

Delta-doping optimization for high quality p-type GaN

Delta (δ−) doping is studied in order to achieve high quality p-type GaN. Atomic force microscopy, x-ray diffraction, photoluminescence, and Hall measurements are performed on the samples to optimize the δ-doping characteristics. The effect of annealing on the electrical, optical, and structural quality is also investigated for different δ-doping parameters. Optimized pulsing conditions result in layers with hole concentrations near 1018 cm−3 and superior crystal quality compared to conventional p-GaN. This material improvement is achieved thanks to the reduction in the Mg activation energy and self-compensation effects in δ-doped p-GaN.

Geiger-mode operation of back-illuminated GaN avalanche photodiodes

The authors report the Geiger-mode operation of back-illuminated GaN avalanche photodiodes. The devices were fabricated on transparent AlN templates specifically for back illumination in order to enhance hole-initiated multiplication. The spectral response in Geiger-mode operation was analyzed under low photon fluxes. Single photon detection capabilities were demonstrated in devices with areas ranging from 225to14063μm2. Single photon detection efficiency of 20% and dark count rate <10kHz were achieved in the smallest devices.

Performance enhancement of GaN ultraviolet avalanche photodiodes with p-type δ-doping

High quality δ-doped p-GaN is used as a means of improving the performance of back-illuminated GaN avalanche photodiodes (APDs). Devices with δ-doped p-GaN show consistently lower leakage current and lower breakdown voltage than those with bulk p-GaN. APDs with δ-doped p-GaN also achieve a maximum multiplication gain of 5.1×104, more than 50 times higher than that obtained in devices with bulk p-GaN. The better device performance of APDs with δ-doped p-GaN is attributed to the higher structural quality of the p-GaN layer achieved via δ-doping.

Scaling in back-illuminated GaN avalanche photodiodes

Avalanche p-i-n photodiodes of various mesa areas were fabricated on AlN templates for back illumination for enhanced performance through hole-initiated multiplication, and the effects of increased area on device performance were studied. Avalanche multiplication was observed in mesa sizes up to 14063μm2 under linear mode operation. Uniform gain and a linear increase of the dark current with area were demonstrated.

High quantum efficiency back-illuminated GaN avalanche photodiodes

Back-illuminated avalanche photodiodes (APDs) composed of heterojunctions of either p-GaN/i-GaN/n-AlGaN or p-GaN/i-GaN/n-GaN/n-AlGaN were fabricated on AlN templates. At low voltage, an external quantum efficiency of 57% at 352 nm with a bandpass response was achieved by using AlGaN in the n-layer. Dependency of gain and leakage current on mesa area for these heterojunction APDs were studied. Back-illumination via different wavelength sources was used to demonstrate the advantages of hole-initiated multiplication in GaN APDs.

GaN nanostructured p-i-n photodiodes

We report the fabrication of nanostructured p-i-n photodiodes based on GaN. Each device comprises arrays of ∼200nm diameter and 520nm tall nanopillars on a 1μm period, fabricated by e-beam lithography. Strong rectifying behavior was obtained with an average reverse current per nanopillar of 5fA at −5V. In contrast to conventional GaN diodes, nanostructured devices reproducibly show ideality factors lower than 2. Enhanced tunneling through sidewall surface states is proposed as the responsible mechanism for this behavior. Under backillumination, the quantum efficiency in nanostructured devices is partly limited by the collection efficiency of holes into the nanopillars.

Advances in APDs for UV astronomy

We report the most recent work of our group of the development of avalanche photo diodes based on (Al)GaN. The goal of this group is to achieve single photon counting. In this paper we first give the scientific motivation for making such a device in the context of UV astronomy and then describe current work and plans for future development. The development includes improving the sensitivity to be able to carry out single photon detection and the fabrication of arrays.

GaN-based nanostructured photodetectors

The use of nanostructures in semiconductor technology leads to the observation of new phenomena in device physics. Further quantum and non-quantum effects arise from the reduction of device dimension to a nanometric scale. In nanopillars, quantum confinement regime is only revealed when the lateral dimensions are lower than 50 nm. For larger mesoscopic systems, quantum effects are not observable but surface states play a key role and make the properties of nanostructured devices depart from those found in conventional devices. In this work, we present the fabrication of GaN nanostructured metal-semiconductor-metal (MSM) and p-i-n photodiodes (PIN PDs) by e-beam lithography, as well as the investigation of their photoelectrical properties at room temperature. The nanopillar height and diameter are about 520 nm and 200 nm, respectively. MSMs present dark currents densities of 0.4 A/cm2 at ±100 V. A strong increase of the optical response with bias is observed, resulting in responsivities higher than 1 A/W. The relationship between this gain mechanism and surface states is discussed. PIN PDs yield peak responsivities (Rpeak) of 35 mA/W at -4 V and show an abnormal increase of the response (Rpeak>100 A/W) under forward biases.