A novel Si-based LWIR detector: the SiGe/Si heterojunction internal photoemission detector

Author

Lin, T.L. ; Jones, E.W. ; Ksendzov, A. ; Dejewski, S.M. ; Fathauer, R.W. ; Krabach, T.N. ; Maserjian, J.

Author_Institution

Jet Propulsion Lab., California Inst. of Technol., Pasadena, CA, USA

fYear

1990

fDate

9-12 Dec. 1990

Firstpage

641

Lastpage

644

Abstract

A novel Si-based long-wavelength infrared (LWIR) detector, the SiGe/Si heterojunction internal photoemission (HIP) detector, has been demonstrated. The detection mechanism of the SiGe/Si HIP detector is infrared absorption in the degenerately doped p/sup +/-SiGe layer followed by internal photoemission of photoexcited holes over the heterojunction barrier. The p/sup +/-SiGe layers are grown by molecular beam epitaxy with boron concentrations up to 4*10/sup 20/ cm/sup -3/. The cutoff wavelength of this device can be tailored by varying the valence band offset between the SiGe alloy and Si, and thus can be extended into the long-wave infrared regime. The valence based offset can be adjusted by varying the Ge ratio in the SiGe layers. Results have been obtained from test devices with Ge composition ranging from 0.2 to 0.4, giving quantum efficiencies of 3-5% for a single pass in the 8-12 mu m region.<>

Keywords

Ge-Si alloys; elemental semiconductors; infrared detectors; molecular beam epitaxial growth; p-n heterojunctions; photoemissive devices; semiconductor epitaxial layers; semiconductor growth; semiconductor materials; silicon; 3 to 5 percent; 8 to 12 micron; LWIR detector; SiGe-Si heterojunction; cutoff wavelength; detection mechanism; heterojunction internal photoemission detector; infrared absorption; long-wavelength IR detector; molecular beam epitaxy; photoexcited holes; quantum efficiencies; valence band offset; Boron; Electromagnetic wave absorption; Germanium silicon alloys; Heterojunctions; Hip; Infrared detectors; Molecular beam epitaxial growth; Photoelectricity; Silicon alloys; Silicon germanium;

fLanguage

English

Publisher

ieee

Conference_Titel

Electron Devices Meeting, 1990. IEDM '90. Technical Digest., International

Conference_Location

San Francisco, CA, USA

ISSN

0163-1918

Type

conf

DOI

10.1109/IEDM.1990.237117

Filename

237117