Enhanced efficiency of high-speed Si and Si-based PbSe MSM photodiodes with integrated photon-trapping holes at 800–1550 nm wavelengths

We theoretically and experimentally demonstrate a cylinder-shaped hole array with a small depth and an appropriate period integrated on a silicon-on-insulator substrate can enhance infrared absorption due to more bending of light and a higher back reflection.The Si metal-semiconductor-metal(MSM)photodiode with an hole array,whose depth is 250 nm,exhibits a4-fold improved external quantum efficiency(EQE)of 81%,and an ultra-fast impulse response speed of 22 ps enabling a 3 d B bandwidth of up to 23.9 GHz.PbSe film with a thickness of 80 nm is integrated to broaden the response wavelength.A more than 500%EQE enhancement of the Si-based PbSe photodiode with 150-nm-deep photon-trapping holes is achieved at1550 nm compared to the device without hole structures.

Research on the correlation between the dual diffusion behavior of zinc in InGaAs/InP single-photon avalanche photodiodes and device performance

The development of InGaAs/InP single-photon avalanche photodiodes(SPADs)necessitates the utiliza-tion of a two-element diffusion technique to achieve accurate manipulation of the multiplication width and the dis-tribution of its electric field.Regarding the issue of accurately predicting the depth of diffusion in InGaAs/InP SPAD,simulation analysis and device development were carried out,focusing on the dual diffusion behavior of zinc atoms.A formula of X_(j)=k√t-t_(0)+c to quantitatively predict the diffusion depth is obtained by fitting the simulated twice-diffusion depths based on a two-dimensional(2D)model.The 2D impurity morphologies and the one-dimensional impurity profiles for the dual-diffused region are characterized by using scanning electron micros-copy and secondary ion mass spectrometry as a function of the diffusion depth,respectively.InGaAs/InP SPAD devices with different dual-diffusion conditions are also fabricated,which show breakdown behaviors well consis-tent with the simulated results under the same junction geometries.The dark count rate(DCR)of the device de-creased as the multiplication width increased,as indicated by the results.DCRs of 2×10^(6),1×10^(5),4×10^(4),and 2×10^(4) were achieved at temperatures of 300 K,273 K,263 K,and 253 K,respectively,with a bias voltage of 3 V,when the multiplication width was 1.5µm.These results demonstrate an effective prediction route for accu-rately controlling the dual-diffused zinc junction geometry in InP-based planar device processing.

The Influence of Rapid Thermal Annealing on SiGe/Si Multiple-Quantum Wells p_-i_-n Photodiodes

The influence of thermal treatment on Si 1-x Ge x/Si multiple-quantum wells (MQW) p-i-n photodiodes has been investigated by photocurrent spectroscopy combined with X-ray double crystal diffraction.The cutoff wavelength is significantly reduced due to the Si-Ge interdiffusion and partial relaxation of the strained SiGe alloy.The values of the blue shift increase slowly with the annealing temperatures in the range of 750℃ to 850℃.However,the nonlinear changes in photocurrent intensities of the samples annealed at different temperatures have been observed,which is mainly dominated by the generation of misfit dislocations and the reduction of the point defects in the heating process.

Recent progress of SiC UV single photon counting avalanche photodiodes

4H-SiC single photon counting avalanche photodiodes(SPADs)are prior devices for weak ultraviolet(UV)signal detection with the advantages of small size,low leakage current,high avalanche multiplication gain,and high quantum efficiency,which benefit from the large bandgap energy,high carrier drift velocity and excellent physical stability of 4 H-SiC semiconductor material.UV detectors are widely used in many key applications,such as missile plume detection,corona discharge,UV astronomy,and biological and chemical agent detection.In this paper,we will describe basic concepts and review recent results on device design,process development,and basic characterizations of 4 H-SiC avalanche photodiodes.Several promising device structures and uniformity of avalanche multiplication are discussed,which are important for achieving high performance of 4 HSiC UV SPADs.

Performance improvement of InGaN/GaN multiple quantum well visible-light photodiodes by optimizing TEGa flow

The performance of an InGaN/GaN multiple quantum well（MQW） based visible-light Schottky photodiode（PD）is improved by optimizing the source flow of TEGa during In Ga N QW growth. The samples with five-pair InGaN/GaN MQWs are grown on sapphire substrates by metal organic chemical vapor deposition. From the fabricated Schottky-barrier PDs, it is found that the smaller the TEGa flow, the lower the reverse-bias leakage is. The photocurrent can also be enhanced by depositing the In GaN QWs with using lower TEGa flow. A high responsivity of 1.94 A/W is obtained at 470 nm and -3-V bias in the PD grown with optimized TEGa flow. Analysis results show that the lower TEGa flow used for depositing In Ga N may lead to superior crystalline quality with improved InGaN/GaN interface, and less structural defects related non-radiative recombination centers formed in the MQWs.

High-power InAlAs/InGaAs Schottky barrier photodiodes for analog microwave signal transmission

The design,manufacturing and DC and microwave characterization of high-power Schottky barrier In Al As/In Ga As back-illuminated mesa structure photodiodes are presented.The photodiodes with 10 and 15μm mesa diameters operate at≥40 and 28 GHz,respectively,have the output RF power as high as 58 m W at a frequency of 20 GHz,the DC responsivity of up to 1.08 A/W depending on the absorbing layer thickness,and a photodiode dark current as low as 0.04 n A.We show that these photodiodes provide an advantage in the amplitude-to-phase conversion factor which makes them suitable for use in highspeed analog transmission lines with stringent requirements for phase noise.

Theoretical analysis for AlGaN avalanche photodiodes with mesa and field plate structure

To suppress the electric field crowding at sidewall and improve the detection sensitivity of the AlGaN separate absorption and multiplication(SAM)avalanche photodiodes(APDs),we propose the new AlGaN APDs structure combining a large-area mesa with a field plate(FP).The simulated results show that the proposed AlGaN APDs exhibit a significant increase in avalanche gain,about two orders of magnitude,compared to their counterparts without FP structure,which is attributed to the suppression of electric field crowding at sidewall of multiplication layer and the reduction of the maximum electric field at the p-type GaN sidewall in p-n depletion region.Meanwhile,the APDs can produce an obviously enhanced photocurrent due to the increase in cross sectional area of multiplication region.

Bandwidth improvement of high power uni-traveling-carrier photodiodes by reducing the series resistance and capacitance

A backside illuminated mesa-structure In Ga As/In P modified uni-traveling-carrier photodiode（MUTC-PD） with wide bandwidth and high saturation power is fabricated and investigated. The device structure is optimized to reduce the capacitance and resistance. For the 22-μm-diameter device, the maximum responsivity at 1.55 μm is 0.5 A/W, and the 3-d B cutoff frequency reaches up to 28 GHz. The output photocurrent at the 1-d B compression point is measured to be 54 m A at 25 GHz, with a corresponding output radio frequency（RF） power of up to 15.5 d Bm. The saturation characteristics of the MUTC-PD are also verified by the electric field simulation, and electric field collapse is found to be the cause of the saturation phenomenon.

Passive Quenching Electronics for Geiger Mode 4H-SiC Avalanche Photodiodes

We design and fabricate 4H-SiC UV avalanche photodiodes （APDs） ~qth positive beveled mesa, which exhibit low leakage current and high avalanche gain when working in the Geiger mode. The single photon counting performance of the SiC APDs is studied by using a passive-quenching circuit. A new method to determine the exact breakdown voltage of the APD is proposed based on the initial emergence of photon count pulses. The photon count rate and dark count rate of the APD are also evaluated as a function of quenching resistance.

High-Gain N-Face AlGaN Solar-Blind Avalanche Photodiodes Using a Heterostructure as Separate Absorption and Multiplication Regions

It is well known that -nitride semiconductors can generate the magnitude of MV/cm polarization electric field which is comparable with their ionization electric fields. To take full advantage of the polarization electric field, we design an N-face AlGaN solar-blind avalanche photodiode (APD) with an Al0.45Ga0.55N/Al0.3Ga0.7N heterostructure as separate absorption and multiplication (SAM) regions. The simulation results show that the N-face APDs are more beneficial to improving the avalanche gain and reducing the avalanche breakdown voltage compared with the Ga-face APDs due to the effect of the polarization electric field. Furthermore, the Al0.45Ga0.55N/Al0.3Ga0.7N heterostructure SAM regions used in APDs instead of homogeneous Al0.45Ga0.55N SAM structure can increase significantly avalanche gain because of the increased hole ionization coefficient by using the relatively low Al-content AlGaN in the multiplication region. Meanwhile, a quarter-wave AlGaN/AlN distributed Bragg reflector structure at the bottom of the device is designed to remain a solar-blind characteristic of the heterostructure SAM-APDs.

Discrimination Voltage and Overdrive Bias Dependent Performance Evaluation of Passively Quenched SiC Single-Photon-Counting Avalanche Photodiodes

In many critical civil and emerging military applications, low-level UV detection, sometimes at single photon level, is highly desired. In this work, a mesa-type 4H-SiC UV avalanche photodiode （APD） is designed and fabricated, which exhibits low leakage current and high avalanche gain. When studied by using a passive quenching circuit, the APD exhibits self-quenching characteristics due to its high differential resistance in the avalanche region. The single photon detection efficiency and dark count rate of the APD are evaluated as functions of discrimination voltage and over-drive voltage. The optimized operation conditions of the single photon counting APD are discussed.

Avalanche photodiodes on silicon photonics

Silicon photonics technology has drawn significant interest due to its potential for compact and high-performance photonic integrated circuits.The Ge-or III-V material-based avalanche photodiodes integrated on silicon photonics provide ideal high sensitivity optical receivers for telecommunication wavelengths.Herein,the last advances of monolithic and hetero-geneous avalanche photodiodes on silicon are reviewed,including different device structures and semiconductor systems.

Self-powered solar-blind photodiodes based on EFG-grown(100)-dominant β-Ga_(2)O_(3) substrate

We report the edge-defined-film-fed(EFG)-grown β-Ga_(2)O_(3)-based Schottky photodiodes.The device has a reverse leakage current of ~nA and a rectified ratio of ~10^(4) at ±5 V.In addition,the photodiode detector shows a dark current of 0.3 pA,a photo-responsivity(R) of 2.875 mA/W,a special detectivity(D*) of 10^(10) Jones,and an external quantum efficiency(EQE) of 1.4% at zero bias,illustrating a self-powered operation.This work may advance the development of the Ga_(2)O_(3)-based Schottky diode solar-blind photodetectors.

Performance improvement of 4H-SiC PIN ultraviolet avalanche photodiodes with different intrinsic layer thicknesses

Four 4H-SiCp-i-n ultraviolet(UV) avalanche photodiode(APD) samples PIN-0.1, PIN-0.35, PIN-0.5, and PIN-1.0 with different intrinsic layer thicknesses(0.1 μm, 0.35 μm, 0.5 μm, and 1.0 μm, respectively) are designed and fabricated.Single photon detection efficiency(SPDE) performance becomes better as the intrinsic layer thickness increases, which is attributed to the inhibitation of tunneling.Dark count origin is also investigated, an activation energy as small as 0.22 eV of the dark count rate(DCR) confirms that the trap-assisted tunneling(TAT) process is the main source of DCR.The temperature coefficient ranges from-2.6 mV/℃ to 18.3 mV/℃, demonstrating that the TAT process is dominant in APDs with thinner intrinsic layers.Additionally, the room temperature maximum quantum efficiency at 280 nm differs from 48% to 65% for PIN-0.35, PIN-0.5, and PIN-1.0 under 0 V bias, and UV/visible rejection ratios higher than 104 are obtained.

The Effects by γ Ray Irradiation on Silicon Photodiodes

The relationships between irradiation doses of γ ray and the main photoelectric characteristics of PIN photodiode or conventional photodiode with different structure were studied. The experimental results show that after the photodiodes being irradiated,the photocurrent decreases,especially for short wavelength of light. The dark current of the photodiodes with smaller active area decreases while increases for that with larger active area,and the response time shortens. The plane scanning experiment of laser beam indicates that the homogeneity of the device's surface is not influenced by the irradiation. The results prove that PIN photodiode shows relatively good radioresistance.

InP-based evanescently coupled high-responsivity photodiodes with extremely low dark current density integrated diluted waveguide at 1550 nm

In this paper, we have demonstrated a high performance waveguide photodiode integrated diluted waveguide serving as a fibre-to-waveguide coupler to achieve high coupling efficiency. High responsivity （〉 1 A/W）, high saturation power （〉 45 mA） in the static state and extremely low dark current density （0.04 pA/μm2） with 3 dB bandwidth at 13.4 GHz have been achieved.

Optical matching layer structures in evanescent coupling photodiodes at a wavelength of 1.55 μm:physics,design and simulation

We have studied the optical matching layers （OMLs） and external quantum efficiency in the evanescent coupling photodiodes （ECPDs） integrating a diluted waveguide as a fibre-to-waveguide coupler, by using the semi-vectorial beam propagation method （BPM）. The physical basis of OML has been identified, thereby a general designing rule of OML is developed in such a kind of photodiode. In addition, the external quantum efficiency and the polarization sensitivity versus the absorption and coupling length are analysed. With an optical matching layer, the absorption medium with a length of 30μm could absorb 90% of the incident light at 1.55μm wavelength, thus the total absorption increases more than 7 times over that of the photodiode without any optical matching layer.

Preparation of LPE GaInAsSb Epilayers and Its Photodiodes for Detection of 1．8～2．1μm

Growth of GaInAsSb epilayer by liquid phase epitaxy (LPE) was reported. The LPE system with a hor-izontal sliding graphite boat was employed. The Te-doped (100) GaSb wafer was chosen as substrate. Thephysical properties of the GalnAsSb / GaSb heterostructure were investigated by double crystal X-ray rock-ing diffraction and photoluminescence. The p-GaInAsSb/ n-GaSb photodiode was made by using theseheterostructure materials .The detectivity of the photodiode D* is 4.65 ×10￣9 cm . Hz￣(1 /2) W￣(-1).

Analysis of high-temperature performance of 4H-SiC avalanche photodiodes in both linear and Geiger modes

The high-temperature performance of 4H-SiC ultraviolet avalanche photodiodes(APDs)in both linear and Geiger modes is extensively investigated.During the temperature-dependent measurements,a fixed bias voltage is adopted for the device samples,which is much more practical and important for high-temperature applications.The results show that the fabricated 4H-SiC APDs are very stable and reliable at high temperatures.As the temperature increases from room temperature to 425 K,the dark current at 95%of the breakdown voltage increases slightly and remains lower than40 pA.In Geiger mode,our 4H-SiC APDs can be self-quenched in a passive-quenching circuit,which is expected for highspeed detection systems.Moreover,an interesting phenomenon is observed for the first time:the single-photon detection efficiency shows a non-monotonic variation as a function of temperature.The physical mechanism of the variation in hightemperature performance is further analyzed.The results in this work can provide a fundamental reference for researchers in the field of 4H-SiC APD ultraviolet detectors.

Design of novel three port optical gates scheme for the integration of large optical cavity electroabsorption modulators and evanescently-coupled photodiodes

This paper presents a novel scheme to monolithically integrate an evanescently-coupled uni-travelling carrier photodiode with a planar short multimode waveguide structure and a large optical cavity electroabsorption modulator based on a multimode waveguide structure. By simulation, both electroabsorption modulator and photodiode show excellent optical performances. The device can be fabricated with conventional photolithography, reactive ion etching, and chemical wet etching.