Identification of a limiting mechanism in GaSb-rich superlattice midwave infrared detector

Journal Article · Sat May 07 00:00:00 EDT 2016 · Journal of Applied Physics

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4948670· OSTI ID:22596937

Delmas, Marie; Rodriguez, Jean-Baptiste; Rossignol, Rémi; Christol, Philippe ^[1]; Licht, Abigail S. ^[1]; Giard, Edouard; Ribet-Mohamed, Isabelle ^[2]

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1. Université de Montpellier, IES, UMR 5214, F-34000 Montpellier (France)
2. ONERA, Chemin de la Hunière, 91761 Palaiseau (France)

GaSb-rich superlattice (SL) p-i-n photodiodes grown by molecular beam epitaxy were studied theoretically and experimentally in order to understand the poor dark current characteristics typically obtained. This behavior, independent of the SL-grown material quality, is usually attributed to the presence of defects due to Ga-related bonds, limiting the SL carrier lifetime. By analyzing the photoresponse spectra of reverse-biased photodiodes at 80 K, we have highlighted the presence of an electric field, breaking the minibands into localized Wannier-Stark states. Besides the influence of defects in such GaSb-rich SL structures, this electric field induces a strong tunneling current at low bias which can be the main limiting mechanism explaining the high dark current density of the GaSb-rich SL diode.

• OSTI ID: 22596937
• Journal Information: Journal of Applied Physics, Vol. 119, Issue 17; Other Information: (c) 2016 Author(s); Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 0021-8979
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS
GENERAL PHYSICS
75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS
SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND SUPERFLUIDITY
CARRIER LIFETIME
CARRIERS
CURRENT DENSITY
DEFECTS
ELECTRIC FIELDS
GALLIUM ANTIMONIDES
INFRARED RADIATION
MOLECULAR BEAM EPITAXY
MOLECULAR BEAMS
PHOTODIODES
P-N JUNCTIONS
SPECTRA
SUPERLATTICES
TUNNEL EFFECT