Title :
Low avalanche excess noise in thin AlxGa1-xAs (x=0.15 and 0.60) avalanche photodiodes
Author :
Tan, C.H. ; David, J.P.R. ; Rees, G.J. ; Tozer, R.C. ; Li, K.F.
Author_Institution :
Dept. of Electron. & Electr. Eng., Sheffield Univ., UK
Abstract :
Avalanche photodiodes with thin avalanche multiplication regions were found to exhibit lower excess noise than those predicted by the conventional local noise theory. Experimental excess noise measurements on a range of sub-micron Al0.6Ga0.4As and Al0.15Ga0.85As homojunction p+in+ diodes show that the excess noise decreases as the avalanche width is reduced below 1 μm. The Al0.6Ga0.4As p +in+ diodes show extremely low excess noise despite the electron and hole ionization coefficients being very similar. Modelling using a nonlocal model indicates that dead space plays an important role in determining the excess noise in thin avalanching regions
Keywords :
III-V semiconductors; aluminium compounds; avalanche photodiodes; gallium arsenide; ionisation; p-i-n photodiodes; semiconductor device measurement; semiconductor device models; semiconductor device noise; 1 micron; Al0.15Ga0.85As; Al0.15Ga0.85As homojunction p+in + diodes; Al0.6Ga0.4As; Al0.6Ga0.4As homojunction p+in + diodes; avalanche excess noise; avalanche photodiodes; avalanche width; dead space; electron ionization coefficient; excess noise; excess noise measurements; hole ionization coefficient; local noise theory; nonlocal model; thin AlxGa1-xAs avalanche photodiodes; thin avalanche multiplication regions; thin avalanching regions; Avalanche photodiodes; Charge carrier processes; Diodes; Gallium arsenide; Ionization; Noise reduction; Optical noise; Photodetectors; Substrates; Tunneling;
Conference_Titel :
Semiconductor Electronics, 2000. Proceedings. ICSE 2000. IEEE International Conference on
Conference_Location :
Guoman Port Dickson Resort
Print_ISBN :
0-7803-6430-9
DOI :
10.1109/SMELEC.2000.932302
