High quantum efficiency Type-II superlattice N-structure photodetectors with thin intrinsic layers

We report on the development of InAs/AlSb/GaSb based N-structure superlattice pin photodiode. In this new design, AlSb layer in between InAs and GaSb layers acts as an electron barrier that pushes electron and hole wave functions towards the GaSb/InAs interface to perform strong overlap under reverse bias. Experimental results show that, with only 20 periods of intrinsic layers, dark current density and dynamic resistance at -50 mV bias are measured as 6×10-3 A/cm2 and 148 ωcm2 at 77K, respectively. Under zero bias, high spectral response of 1.2A/W is obtained at 5 μm with 50% cut-off wavelengths (λc) of 6 μm. With this new design, devices with only 146 nm thick i-regions exhibit a quantum efficiency of 42% at 3 μm with front-side illimunation and no anti-reflection coatings. © 2013 SPIE.