Si-TaSi2 composite photodiodes with wavelength-independent quantum efficiency

Photodiodes have been demonstrated which utilize the grown-in Schottky junctions of Si-TaSi₂ eutectic composite material to give wavelength-independent quantum efficiencies of more than 80% (corrected for reflection loss) over nearly the entire visible and near-infrared portions of the spectrum. Noise measurements show a 1/f component which produces less than 10-dB excess noise-equivalent power relative to the shot noise limit at frequencies above 800 Hz. The good quality of these devices, together with their constant quantum efficiency over a wide range of wavelength, makes them of interest for further development in many photodetector applications