Enhanced Surface Passivation by Atomic Layer Deposited Al2O3 for Ultraviolet Sensitive Silicon Photomultipliers

Tao, Yuguo; Erickson, Anna

doi:10.1109/tns.2022.3141991

Title: Enhanced Surface Passivation by Atomic Layer Deposited Al₂O₃ for Ultraviolet Sensitive Silicon Photomultipliers

Journal Article · 11 January 2022 · IEEE Transactions on Nuclear Science

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1109/tns.2022.3141991 · OSTI ID:1842682

Tao, Yuguo ^[1]; Erickson, Anna ^[2]

Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA (United States); Georgia Institute of Technology
Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA (United States)

Here, we describe a superior passivation of p-type (p⁺) Si surface by Al₂O₃ thin film that is synthesized by plasma-assisted atomic layer deposition for ultraviolet sensitive silicon photomultipliers (SiPM), compared to conventional SiO₂ and SiN_x passivation schemes. The superiority of Al₂O₃ passivation is due to not only a sufficiently low interface defect density but also a high density of built-in negative charges. A 7 nm thin Al₂O₃ film can yield an emitter saturation current density of ~8 fA/cm² on high sheet resistance p⁺ layer, compared to ~60 and ~1480 fA/cm² for thermal SiO₂ and SiN_x passivation. This superior surface passivation allows the photon-generated carriers to have higher probabilities to reach the high-field region to trigger an avalanche event. In addition, Al₂O₃ thin film provides very low values of effective surface recombination velocity on low resistivity n-type and p-type Si surfaces, which can lead to well-passivated surface features on guard ring and trench isolation regions of SiPM. These demonstrate the potential of Al₂O₃ thin film passivation to improve quantum efficiency and thus photo-detection efficiency of ultraviolet sensitive SiPM with p⁺/n^-/n/n⁺ structure.

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Research Organization:: Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA (United States)

Sponsoring Organization:: USDOE National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA)

Grant/Contract Number:: NA0003921

OSTI ID:: 1842682

Journal Information:: IEEE Transactions on Nuclear Science, Journal Name: IEEE Transactions on Nuclear Science Journal Issue: 2 Vol. 69; ISSN 0018-9499

Publisher:: IEEECopyright Statement

Country of Publication:: United States

Language:: English

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36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
Al2O3
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Quantum Efficiency
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Surface Passivation

Title: Enhanced Surface Passivation by Atomic Layer Deposited Al2O3 for Ultraviolet Sensitive Silicon Photomultipliers

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