Gain-Enhanced InGaAs–InP Heterojunction Phototransistor With Zn-Doped Mesa Sidewall

Author

Choi, Sung Woo ; Furue, Shigenori ; Hayama, Nobuyuki ; Nishida, Katsuhiko ; Ogura, Mutsuo

Author_Institution

Adv. Ind. Sci. & Technol. (AIST), Tsukuba, Japan

Volume

21

Issue

17

fYear

2009

Firstpage

1187

Lastpage

1189

Abstract

A gain-enhanced InGaAs-InP heterojunction phototransistor (GE-HPT) with a Zn-doped mesa sidewall designed to reduce both base-emitter recombination currents and base-collector dark currents is realized. The developed GE-HPT has an optical conversion efficiency as large as 24 kA/W at an incident optical power of 29 nW and a wavelength of 1.55 mum, which is the highest gain yet reported in HPTs. The measured dark current in the base-collector junction is comparable to that of planar-type PIN photodiodes. The high gain and low dark current characteristics of the phototransistors make them promising for use in a weak light detection system.

Keywords

III-V semiconductors; gallium arsenide; indium compounds; p-i-n photodiodes; phototransistors; InGaAs-InP; Jk:Zn; PIN photodiodes; base-collector dark currents; base-emitter recombination currents; heterojunction phototransistor; leak current; mesa sidewall; optical conversion efficiency; power 29 nW; wavelength 155 mum; Dark current; Fabrication; Heterojunctions; High speed optical techniques; Indium gallium arsenide; Indium phosphide; Optical sensors; PIN photodiodes; Phototransistors; Zinc; Heterojunction; InGaAs; infrared; leak current; photodetector; phototransistor; sensitivity;

fLanguage

English

Journal_Title

Photonics Technology Letters, IEEE

Publisher

ieee

ISSN

1041-1135

Type

jour

DOI

10.1109/LPT.2009.2023367

Filename

5208455