Characterization of Short-Wavelength-Selective a-Si:H MSM Photoconductors for Large-Area Digital-Imaging Applications

Author

Taghibakhsh, Farhad ; Khodami, Ida ; Karim, Karim S.

Author_Institution

Univ. of Waterloo, Waterloo

Volume

55

Issue

1

fYear

2008

Firstpage

337

Lastpage

342

Abstract

Photoconductor-type photodetectors are attractive as sensors due to their compatibility with thin-film-transistor (TFT) fabrication processes. Since they exhibit photogain, photoconductor detectors have better or comparable responsivity and quantum efficiency (QE) compared to p-i-n photodiodes. In this paper, the operation of metal-semiconductor-metal photoconductor-based photodetectors using aluminum electrodes and thin hydrogenated amorphous-silicon (a-Si) films is investigated. The experimental results of photocurrent measurements, as well as the responsivity and QE for different a-Si film thicknesses, bias voltages, and electrode gaps, are presented. Integration with TFT fabrication and its application in large-area digital imaging are discussed.

Keywords

aluminium; amorphous semiconductors; electrodes; image sensors; metal-semiconductor-metal structures; photoconducting materials; photodetectors; semiconductor thin films; silicon; thin film transistors; MSM photodetectors; Si; TFT fabrication process; aluminum electrodes; hydrogenated amorphous-silicon films; large-area digital-imaging; metal-semiconductor-metal photoconductor; photocurrent measurements; photosensors; quantum efficiency; thin-film-transistor; Aluminum; Detectors; Electrodes; Fabrication; PIN photodiodes; Photoconducting materials; Photoconductivity; Photodetectors; Sensor phenomena and characterization; Thin film transistors; Amorphous silicon (a-Si); metal–semiconductor–metal (MSM) devices; photoconducting devices; photodetectors;

fLanguage

English

Journal_Title

Electron Devices, IEEE Transactions on

Publisher

ieee

ISSN

0018-9383

Type

jour

DOI

10.1109/TED.2007.911094

Filename

4408811