High detectivity solar blind AlGaN metal-semiconductor-metal detector

Summary form only given. We have fabricated and characterized a solar blind detector based on AlGaN. The structure was grown on Si(111) by molecular beam epitaxy. After an AlN buffer, a GaN/AlN bilayer was grown, followed by a 1.6 /spl mu/m AlGaN layer, with about 50% Al. The process includes an optical lithography and PtAu Schottky contact deposition, and lift off. The cutoff wavelength is 280 nm, making this detector solar blind. The cut-off is very sharp, with 3 decades near UV rejection, limited by the contribution of the GaN layer. This performance represents the state of the art for solar blind MSM detectors based on AlGaN, and is very promising for applications.