Comparison of nBn and nBp mid-wave barrier infrared photodetectors

J. F. Klem; J. K. Kim; M. J. Cich; S. D. Hawkins; T. R. Fortune; J. L. Rienstra

doi:10.1117/12.842772

22 January 2010 Comparison of nBn and nBp mid-wave barrier infrared photodetectors

J. F. Klem, J. K. Kim, M. J. Cich, S. D. Hawkins, T. R. Fortune, J. L. Rienstra

Proceedings Volume 7608, Quantum Sensing and Nanophotonic Devices VII; 76081P (2010) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.842772
Event: SPIE OPTO, 2010, San Francisco, California, United States

Abstract

We have fabricated mid-wave infrared photodetectors containing InAsSb absorber regions and AlAsSb barriers in n-barrier-n (nBn) and n-barrier-p (nBp) configurations, and characterized them by current-voltage, photocurrent, and capacitance-voltage measurements in the 100-200 K temperature range. Efficient collection of photocurrent in the nBn structure requires application of a small reverse bias resulting in a minimum dark current, while the nBp devices have high responsivity at zero bias. When biasing both types of devices for equal dark currents, the nBn structure exhibits a differential resistance significantly higher than the nBp, although the nBp device may be biased for arbitrarily low dark current at the expense of much lower dynamic resistance. Capacitance-voltage measurements allow determination of the electron concentration in the unintentionally-doped absorber material, and demonstrate the existence of an electron accumulation layer at the absorber/barrier interface in the nBn device. Numerical simulations of idealized nBn devices demonstrate that photocurrent collection is possible under conditions of minimal absorber region depletion, thereby strongly suppressing depletion region Shockley-Read-Hall generation.

Citation Download Citation

J. F. Klem, J. K. Kim, M. J. Cich, S. D. Hawkins, T. R. Fortune, and J. L. Rienstra "Comparison of nBn and nBp mid-wave barrier infrared photodetectors", Proc. SPIE 7608, Quantum Sensing and Nanophotonic Devices VII, 76081P (22 January 2010); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.842772

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