Toggle Main Menu Toggle Search

Open Access padlockePrints

Novel mid-infrared silicon/germanium detector concepts

Lookup NU author(s): Dr Elizabeth Corbin, Professor Milan Jaros

Downloads

Full text for this publication is not currently held within this repository. Alternative links are provided below where available.


Abstract

Highly p-doped silicon/silicon-germanium (Si/SiGe) quantum well (QW) structures are grown by molecular beam epitaxy (MBE) on double-sided polished 〈100〉Si substrates for mid-IR (3 to 5 μm and 8 to 12 μm) detection. The samples are characterized by secondary ion mass spectroscopy (SIMS), x-ray diffraction, and absorption measurements. Single mesa detectors are fabricated as well as large-area focal plane arrays (FPAs) with 256×256 pixels using standard Si integrated processing techniques. The detectors, based on heterointernal photoemission (HIP) of photogenerated holes from a heavily p-doped (p++ to approximately 5×1020 cm-3) SiGe QW into an undoped silicon layer, operate at 77 K. Various novel designs of the SiGe HIP's such as Ge- and B-grading, double- and multi-wells, are realized; in addition, thin doping setback layers between the highly doped well and the undoped Si layer are introduced. The temperature dependence of dark currents and photocurrents are measured up to 225 K. In general, we observe broad photoresponse curves with peak external quantum efficiencies up to ηext approximately 0.5% at 77 K and 4 μ, detectivities up to 8×1011 cm√HZ/W are obtained. We demonstrate that by varying the thickness, Ge content, and doping level of the single- and the multi-QWs of SiGe HIP detectors, the photoresponse peak and the cutoff of the spectrum can be tuned over a wide wavelength range. The epitaxial versatility of the Si/SiGe system enables a tailoring of the photoresponse spectrum which demonstrates the advantages of the SiGe system in comparison over commercially used silicide detectors.


Publication metadata

Author(s): Presting H, Konle J, Hepp M, Kibbel H, Thonke K, Sauer R, Corbin E, Jaros M

Publication type: Article

Publication status: Published

Journal: Optical Engineering

Year: 2000

Volume: 39

Issue: 10

Pages: 2624-2641

ISSN (print): 0091-3286

ISSN (electronic): 1560-2303

Publisher: International Society for Optical Engineering

URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1117/1.1288184

DOI: 10.1117/1.1288184


Altmetrics

Altmetrics provided by Altmetric


Share