Calculation of APD impulse response using a space- and time-dependent ionization probability distribution function

Author

Tan, C.H. ; Hambleton, P.J. ; David, J.P.R. ; Tozer, R.C. ; Rees, G.J.

Author_Institution

Dept. of Electron. & Electr. Eng., Univ. of Sheffield, UK

Volume

21

Issue

1

fYear

2003

fDate

1/1/2003 12:00:00 AM

Firstpage

155

Lastpage

159

Abstract

A new approach is described for calculating the current impulse response of an avalanche photodiode, allowing for an arbitrary model for carrier transport and also for an arbitrary distribution of ionization events in space and time, following carrier injection. The technique can evaluate both the mean current response and its variance. We find that while the effects of diffusion on mean current are small, the enhanced speed to early ionization can speed up the avalanche process significantly.

Keywords

avalanche photodiodes; carrier mobility; diffusion; stochastic processes; transient response; APD impulse response; arbitrary model; avalanche photodiode; carrier injection; carrier transport; current impulse response; diffusion; ionization avalanche process; ionization events; mean current; mean current response; space-dependent ionization probability distribution function; time-dependent ionization probability distribution function; variance; Avalanche photodiodes; Charge carriers; Diffusion processes; Electron mobility; Impact ionization; Probability distribution; Space exploration; Stochastic processes; Time factors; Transient response;

fLanguage

English

Journal_Title

Lightwave Technology, Journal of

Publisher

ieee

ISSN

0733-8724

Type

jour

DOI

10.1109/JLT.2002.806332

Filename

1190160